(Photo/Abby Jeffers’18)

Chants of “Stand up! Fight back!” filled the air in downtown Columbus on Sunday, January 15, as thousands of people marched in a demonstration of women’s rights and gender equality.

In a sister march to the Women’s March on Washington, which will be held on January 21, supporters walked a mile from Washington Street to the Statehouse. The protest was finished with thousands of women standing around the building while holding hands in 30 minutes of intentional silence.

Since I couldn’t travel to Washington for the national march, the news of a local rally was compelling. Finally, I had a chance to stand up for something I believed in, to feel like I was making a real difference.

As we walked, shouts arose from the crowd. Among the most popular were, “My body. My choice!” and, “Show me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like!” Everyone in attendance—from little children to grandmothers—made sure that the city was listening.

Instead of watching from the sidelines, I got to stand tall alongside my friends, teachers, and community to protest the unfair women’s health decisions that are being made more and more frequently.

Supporters pinned reasons for marching to their backs. They marched for family members. They marched because they will not stand silently as healthcare rights are taken away. They marched for thousands of reasons, each one equally important.

It made the situation impossible to ignore when I could see and hear the personal stories behind the protest.

I marched because I refuse to raise my future daughters in a world where sexism and bigotry are considered the norm, for my younger sisters, for my friends, my family.

Because we are stronger together, I marched because I refuse to back down.