A Sign of Change?

"Couch Potato Politics" are over and the time has come to stand together and raise our voices.

A Sign of Change?

Millions of people marched in cities across the world last weekend, in support of human rights. Some marched for specific causes like Planned Parenthood. Others marched simply to show their outrage at the appointment of Donald Drumpf.

As Kimberley Espinel, one of the organisers of the London March, explained "We can choose to stand back, be complacent and hide behind the anonymous comfort of our computers – or we speak up, take an active role in shaping our democracy and defend the things that matter most to us all, like [our] human rights, freedom, dignity, safety and the well-being of our planet, all of which have come under threat."

Now the day is over, but the conversation is still going. Hundreds of signs from the marches are being shared across all social media platforms. If you haven't seen them yet, you've got to take a look.

Some took personal shots at Drumpf to make their point:

Placard readingProtester holds placard reading

Some reminded us of others in this fight for humanity:

Placard readingLife-sized Hillary cutout

But many across the world demonstrated a desire for peace, for continued growth and a plea to keep the world from moving back into the past.

A young family at the New York Women's March

Of all the celebrities to take part on Saturday, Sir Ian McKellen caused a lot of excitement among the meme world as he sported a sign of his very good friend Sir Patrick Stewart.

Ian McKellan holds Patrick Stewart placard for London's Women's March

I think many of us can sympathise with this particular sign, not knowing what this change is going to bring and possibly even dreading what the outcome of the next four years may be. The number of people who went out this weekend have taught us something very important. Politics is changing. People are no longer scared to raise their voice and mumble in defiant restraint any longer. It is a time to stand together, a time to show how we truly feel, as equals.

Author

Grace McCabe

Grace McCabe Contributor

Arts Award Voice - Local JournalistGrace is a Theatre and Drama graduate currently working in London. She loves writing, the arts and is a musician in her spare time.

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2 Comments

  • Luke Taylor

    On 25 January 2017, 10:00 Luke Taylor Contributor commented:

    I really wish I was a part of this march. All of a sudden, all of our rights and progression have just gone to mush over the past 2 years...

  • Kheira Bey

    On 25 January 2017, 13:44 Kheira Bey Contributor commented:

    With women winning the right to vote a century ago thanks to Emmeline Pankhurst and co, you'd expect some things to have changed. But, here we are, still campaigning for peace and equality yet again. What a weird world we are forced to live in.

    How has this impacted the arts world? Will Trump become a detested muse? Who knows. King Lear was performed a record number of times last year in the UK; Shakespeare's play questions what is really important to such a dictatorial, autocratic leader like Lear. I wonder if Trump has ever read the play, he could learn a thing or two...

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