Pro-life and women’s rights protesters line Spokane streets, both for a cause

SPOKANE, Wash. —Saturday marked three years since people- many dressed in pink- took to the streets as part of a worldwide protest for women’s rights. The protest came a day after the inauguration of President Trump. 

In the years since, crowds nationwide- Spokane included- have continued to march every third week in January. 

Local women, friends and family lined the streets in downtown on Saturday for the fourth annual Women+s March. 

“Things need to change, representation needs to happen,” said Madison Foucht-Osborne, a women’s rights advocate. “People need to see people like me and be out there, be out there, be represented, be vocal.”

Advocates that the women’s rights march weren’t just supporting a woman’s right to choose, they were advocating for other issues, too.

“Kind of doing this crazy climate that we have. As far as political climate, one, and two, our actual climate which is in crisis right now,” said TJ Sharkey, a women’s rights advocate.

Walk for Life Northwest was also in downtown as part of a peaceful pro-life protest. 

“We’re here to support children in the womb and out of the womb,” said Jessica Sawyer-Kirkingburg, a pro-life advocate.

Not everyone agreed.

“If it’s not your body, it’s not your business,” said women’s rights advocate Emily Carlton. “Don’t take away people’s right to choose.”

The gathering comes one week before March for Life, a national rally to protest the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that legalized abortion.

“It’s simply wrong,” said pro-life advocate Christopher Boza. “Life, again, begins at conception and to terminate that artificially is simply wrong.”

Both rallies had different messages, but each were full of passion – despite the weather.

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