The Women’s March took place at City Hall in Houston on the morning of Jan. 25. Hundreds of women, men and children gathered to hear speeches and performances from various activists and state representatives, as well as express their own personal values and beliefs with other Houstonians. 

“I think gender equality is something that’s not really talked about often, especially in politics,” senior Allie Benson said. “You can see just in Houston alone there’s a lot of issues with sex trafficking, and I think it’s important to become aware of that and have people around you that will stand up for that.”

Benson attended the march with fellow seniors and friends Emma Garcia, Grace Stevens and Morgan Eckerty. The girls joined the crowd with their own signs as well, with some reading: “Care less about thigh gaps and more about wage gaps” and “Our rights aren’t up for grabs and neither are we.” Stevens’ sign emphasized her discontent with America’s fixation on gun rights instead of on women’s right to bodily autonomy. 

“I feel like a lot of laws are being passed where people are focusing on their 2nd Amendment [freedoms] and not on women not being able to do what they want with their bodies,” Stevens said.  “It’s like they’re advocating for guns more than they are for women and that’s just really whack.”

Not only does the march bring light to issues such as climate change, reproductive freedom and gun control, it also helps educate young people on various presidential candidates. 

“Going to these [marches] is important because I am going to be voting in the next election, so I at least want to have all of my options open and see everyone’s viewpoints before I go out there,” Garcia said. “Because this is such a big time for women in politics, I feel like we can’t just stand by and be like, ‘I’m not gonna vote in this election’ because what we vote is going to change how politics affect women.”

The four seniors agree that attending an event like the Women’s March can be a great way to transition into getting more involved in politics and issues that interest you.

“Even something like the Women’s March, you don’t even have to be that involved with politics, just go if you’re passionate about something,” Stevens said. “I was hesitant at first to go, but it’s something that’s really uplifting.”