Why is there a Women’s March Fort Myers?

We are often asked: “Why do you march?” “Why are you still marching?” We and others have been marching since 2017, organized nationally and in state/local organizations nationwide in response to Donald Trump’s election, an incarnation of a tradition begun in 1913 when 5,000 women marched on Washington in the first large-scale march in American history. The goal then was the right to vote. Rights continue to be center stage today.

One hundred and eleven years later, on March 23, 2024, over 250 residents marched in Fort Myers at the Old Lee Courthouse in this year's second event. The National Organization for Women, Lee County Chapter, co-organized both events.

So, why do we march?

We march in Fort Myers to acknowledge predecessors who paved the way for progress, affirm women of today who continue fighting for rights, and support women of tomorrow whose future we want to be better than ours.

We march in Fort Myers to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to justice and equality, as well as to recognize those who have been marginalized, discriminated against, or denied opportunities because of their identity, beliefs, and personal choices.

We march in Fort Myers in response to a world where inequality persists, gender-based violence continues, and women’s voices are often drowned out or dismissed.

We march in Fort Myers because women have had their rights taken away, including the right to make decisions about their bodies. That right must be defended aggressively and without compromise because it is about bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom.

We march in Fort Myers as an act of defiance, refusing to accept the status quo as acceptable. We also marched in testimony, acknowledging women’s resilience in the face of obstacles. We seek a society where women can thrive, free from discrimination and fear, and where caring, concern, and empathy are more broadly embraced than today.

We march in Fort Myers to remind everyone that we must respect and uphold the human rights of all people, including women, girls, LGBTQ+ people, disabled people, low-income people, and racial and ethnic minorities.

We march in Fort Myers for all those reasons. Inspired by Alice Walker's words (author of "The Color Purple"), “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.”

Women had power in 1913, just as they do today. That is why we marched on March 23 and will continue marching.

Connie Bennett-Martin is president of Women's March Fort Myers.