Human Rights and Feminist Clubs Join Women’s March

Photos by Angie Houghton

SLU-Madrid students gather around Kapital at 11:30 on a Saturday Morning. It’s March 8, and in 30 minutes, members of the Human Rights and Feminist Club will join forces to march down the streets of Madrid. Students fuel up at the McDonald’s next door with hot chocolates, fries, and apple pies in hand. Signs are passed around – “We will not be silenced,” reads one.  “¡Ni una mas!,” reads another, referring to the call for “not one more” victim of domestic violence.  Once collected, students stand decked in purple to brave the wind and rain.

March 8 is International Women’s Day, and for the past 3 years, the Human Rights Club has been attending the M8 Women’s March in collaboration the women and gender studies department. The Comisión 8M Women’s March started in 2018. This year, tens of thousands of women marched, despite on-and-off rain and wind speeds reaching up to 23 mph, according to Reuters and Weather Underground.

Students were accompanied by Anne Dewey and Roswitha Zahlner, professors of women and gender studies at SLU-Madrid.

“I feel so uplifted by all these people who share a cause,” said Anne Dewey, with an umbrella over her head. “The energy, it’s amazing.”

The professors have been to 7 or 8 marches in Madrid. Their favorite part is always the community. “In Spain, there’s a lot of younger people who are very, very dedicated, so they drive it [the march]. We saw them jumping over the traffic cones– it’s unique,” Roswitha reflected.

“And they feel safe enough to do those things here, and that’s a privilege. We can do this here. Not everyone in every country can do this.” “I think it’s important to make a public statement,” said Dewey.

Victoria Flores, the student president of Human Rights club, was cheerful despite the rain.

“I feel very optimistic that so many people are in support,” she said. “Every year, it’s such a big turnout, but it’s nice to see everybody come together despite the crazy weather.”

Mackenzie O’Leery, an Environmental Studies major at SLU-,M shared in this sentiment. “Even though it’s raining, I think everyone is excited to be here and wants to be here.”

“Where we come from as SLU students, it’s all very different, so having a community that values each other is so important. When we come together on international women’s day, you truly feel wanted and appreciated,” O’Leery said.

When asked about why she chose to come to this march instead of the one later in the day, Zahlner tilted her head. “Well, it’s about community and not exclusion. That would undermine all the ideas of feminism.”