#wemarch

So moved and awed by the turnout at the Women’s March on NYC today. 

Our Bodies Our Choice! #RoeVWade anniversary today. #RepublicanHypocrisy wants to take away a Woman's Right to choose, yet wants to also ELIMINATE, OPPOSE, DEFUND or REPEAL various policies that support it's American citizens (i.e: Obamacare, minimum wage increase, public assistance, defund public education, defund #PlannedParenthood and more). A little backwards eh? Enough Is Enough! We shouldn't have to be fighting to keep our rights!!! • • • • • • • • #IMarchForUS #7in10ForRoe #WomensMarch #WomensMarchLA #WomensMarchGlobal #WomensMarch2017 #WeMarch #HumanRights #WomensRights #WhyIMarch (at Los Angeles, California)

#wemarch #womensmarchlondon #womensmarch #equality #humanrights #environment

#wemarch (at SCOUT vintage collective)

Women's March ( Gillian Anderson Twitter)

On this first Saturday of June and Pride Month we honor famed "black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet" Audre Lorde (1934-1992) Audre's life, career, and passion was confronting injustices of racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia. Audre was a daughter of West Indian immigrants. She was a NY public school librarian during the 1960s before she becoming a sought after writer, lecturer, and theorist. One of her most known pieces is "The Master's Tools Will Not Dismantle the Master's House". In 1981, Audre alongside Cherrié Moraga and Barbara Smith founded Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press. Her works The Black Unicorn and Sister Outsider have become touchstones for the black and queer communities. In November 1992, Audre died of Breast Cancer at the age of 58. Her countless works live on and continue to inspire, encourage, and rally. One of my favorite quotes I go to frequently is, "I have a duty to speak truth as I see it and to share not just my triumphs, not just the things that felt good, but the pain, the intense, often unmitigating pain." Life is made up of both to deny one is to deny the whole experience. We march for a those coming into their own, we march when we hear the rallying cries of our siblings, we march for Audre to be bold and confident and true. We march to speak truth to power. #pride🌈 #pridemonth #wemarch #audrelorde #speaktruthtopower https://www.instagram.com/p/CeYyf2xAyiF6vHsQCEL4zIQeaPIJhbejLvIsxw0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

It's day 3 of June and Pride Month and we celebrate and honor Gwen Araujo (1985-2002) Gwen was born in Brawley, CA and at the age of 14 was brave and bold and true when she came out to her family as transgender and started to live her true self as Gwen. On the night of October 3, 2002 she had violent confrontations with 4 men who became enraged that Gwen was transgender. She was killed at the age of 17 and her body was dumped in the El Dorado National Forest. When Gwen's mother reported her missing on October 5th, the police did not open a case due to her being transgender. 12 days after Gwen was killed, one of the perpetrators lead officers to the burial site. All 4 men were convicted to varying degrees. After Gwen's passing, a comprehensive heath and social services program opened up to serve the transgender community of Alameda. In September 2006, CA Governor Schwarzenegger signed the Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act which dismantled the "gay/trans panic defense". In September 2014, CA Governor Brown signed Assembly Bill 2501 which stripped the manslaughter statue of being able to use the "gay/trans panic defense". 3 of the 4 murderers of Gwen have since been released on bail. While California has made strides in creating safer spaces for all LGBTQIA+, there is a current highly successful campaign and agenda across states in the US to target and harm the Queer community with the Trans community being heavily targeted. Gwen was vibrant and passionate. She would have been 37 this year. We march with the knowledge that the trans community is one of the most vulernable groups especially members of color. We march for those that have struggled to be their true selves, we march for those we have lost, and we march for the future where all peoples, shapes, and colors are safe and well and loved completely. #pride🌈 #pridemonth #gwenaraujo #wemarch #transrightsarehumanrights https://www.instagram.com/p/CeWQL9jr1TF5IkkDKWIVo5G7h6ZIDVAdX0zSPM0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

On this second day of June and Pride Month, we honor, we remember, we celebrate, and we hold space for Matthew Shepard (1976-1998) Matthew was born in Wyoming. He had an interest in politics and majored in political science at the University of Wyoming. On the night of October 6, 1998 two young men attacked, tortured, and tied Matthew to a barbed-wire fence to be exposed to the dropping tempeatures. Matthew was not found until 18 hours later. He died on October 12, 1998 at the young age of 21. The shocking details of Matthew's murder started fundamental conversations and changes regarding hate crime legislation for both state and federal levels. In October 2009 (11 years after Matthew died), President Obama signed the Matthew Shepard Act which added crimes motivated by gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability to the 1969 Federal Hate Crime Law. The play The Laramie Project centers around the reaction to Matthew's murder and addresses prejudice, hate, and tolerance. While Matthew's life was so cruelly cut short, his legacy continues to be a beacon. We march for equality, we march for safety, we march for all people to live in a world where they are treated with love and respect, we march for Matthew, and we march for all those who so cruelly had their lives taken from them. #pride🌈 #pridemonth #matthewshepard #loveislove🌈 #wemarch https://www.instagram.com/p/CeTxdkDrbM-bVt3YoSVqOFBMquyLEXSSFz8rwI0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=