Rain, cold and road construction could not stop a couple hundred of us from standing up and speaking out against the patriarchy! Sisters of all ages and a good contingent of brothers too, fighting back in the War on Women
We rallied at Cass Gilbert Park near the Capitol with a line- up of inspiring speakers, starting with Rep. Betty McCollum
and continuing with:
Katie Stack - Mankato Grad Student, abortion activists
Sara Jean Cullwell - Moorhead, MN, will share her medical contraception story - it's not just to prevent pregnancy!(in top photo w/ husband Dan)
Ami Wazlawik - HHH Grad Student, Hollaback! Twin Cities
Shannon Drury & Sarah Jane Johnston, Outgoing and current MN NOW Presidents
Candice Johnson - NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota Field Director
Laura Nevitt - DFL Feminist Caucus President
Statements of Support from Congressman Ellison and Senator Amy Klobuchar
Erin Parrish - Interim ED for the MN Women's Consortium
Trista Matascastillo - Veteran
Senator Sandy Pappas - SD65
Jill Gaulding and Lisa Stratton - GenderJustice
Rev. Kelli Clement - MNRCRC
Katie Kramer, staffer for Sen. Al Franken
Sara Jean's story of her medical issues and horrific treatment at the hands of insurance companies and govt. made me tear up. Luckily some comic relief soon followed.
NOW did part of their speaking time as a parody of conservative women, with Shannon looking and sounding like the Church Lady
The funniest parts for me were pointing out how Michelle Bachmann is actually NOT a proper lady because she does not go by Mrs. Marcus , and does not stay home and run her own house,and that poor Marcus has to do his own laundry! And that Ann Coulter is also not a proper lady because she keeps writing books instead of finding a man to subjugate herself to.
Then Sarah Jane got back to serious issues
Other serious issues we heard about: rape in the military, rape in the workplace, and efforts to restrict abortion to the point where it would hardly matter that it's legal anymore.
Though unable to get an official march permit, we still went down the Hill to the Capitol building en masse
and here is where I ducked out to go grocery shopping. I understand I missed some fun chanting inside, dang it! that's usually my favorite part, and that some people got to talk to their reps (just saw mine a week ago though)
Big thanks to Laura Nevitt, who I remember from our Deaniac days, for organizing this event!