On Saturday, November 2, 2024, women and allies will participate in the Women’s March, advocating for reproductive rights, gender equality, and social justice. This year’s march, operating under the powerful slogan “Our Bodies, Our Future,” emphasized the critical nature of the upcoming four-year period in shaping the next several decades of American democracy.

Image credit: Women’s March 2017. Image source: Voice of America (VOA). Accessed via: Wikimedia Commons.

This year’s march will most likely focus heavily on abortion rights, following recent legislative challenges to reproductive healthcare access in several states.

The first Women’s March took place on January 21, 2017. The Women’s March on Washington drew hundreds of thousands to the nation’s capital, protesting threats to reproductive, civil, and human rights under the new administration. Over 3 million more marched worldwide, making it the largest single-day protest in U.S. history.

The march was a response to Trump’s controversial remarks about women and his unexpected victory over Hillary Clinton, the first female major-party presidential nominee. Born from a Facebook post by Teresa Shook, the idea quickly gained momentum, leading to a massive turnout of 500,000 in D.C. alone, with millions more joining in solidarity across the globe.

Adorned in pink “pussy hats,” the protesters advocated for women’s rights, environmental protection, and the rights of marginalized groups. Despite the scale, the protests remained peaceful. The Women’s March marked the beginning of a resistance movement, leading to increased civic engagement and efforts to drive political change.