By Isla Whateley

Content note: Donald Trump, mentions of sexual assault, rape, incest and abortion

Today, women from all over the world will unite in a march of solidarity, in order to prove just how important women’s rights are and to prove to the new Trump administration that they cannot ignore us. The main march is in Washington DC, but many other cities across the world are hosting their own marches on US embassies and consulates. You can find a march near you here!

The Trump administration looms upon us after his inauguration yesterday as President of the United States of America, also known as the most powerful person on Earth. He is known for his racist, xenophobic, sexist and homophobic views and many have been dreading this day since his election in November, including myself and everyone else I know.

As a young woman living in Scotland, you might ask why I’m so worried about Donald Trump. I don’t live in America and I won’t be directly affected by his Presidency. But the USA is the UK’s closest ally, and with the rise of nationalism in both nations (shout out to Brexit), we are likely to be affected more than we realise. Not to mention that the USA is the most powerful and influential country in the world.

Trump’s record on women’s rights is dire. Like many Republicans he is pro-life – or as I prefer to call it, anti-choice – with regards to abortion. He wants to completely ban abortion, with exceptions only in cases of rape, incest or danger to the mother’s life. He hates the idea that Planned Parenthood is government-funded, and basically wants women to lose the majority of our reproductive rights. He has repeatedly objectified women publically and on camera, and has been taken to court for rape and sexual assault before. Many of his cabinet members share these kinds of sexist and outdated views, which is why this march is so important.

The Women’s March this weekend signifies a sort of peaceful solidarity, uniting against fascism and conservative views that hinder women’s lives. It may be the calm before the storm, but maybe we just need to fight harder for our rights in the wake of the storm.

This post was brought to you by Powered By Girl.