On January 21, 2017, millions of women gathered worldwide to march in their cities for democracy, equal rights, and to ensure their voices were heard under the new Trump administration. Celebrity voices joined U.S. citizens and there was no division between the rich, famous, poor, and young. On Sat. January 21, 2017, women gathered in solidarity and were united by the common thread that unites women of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Health care issues were at the forefront, as many Republicans who have risen to prominence in the House and Senate have expressed support for cutting women’s access to services such as Planned Parenthood. Actresses Scarlett Johansson and America Ferrera delivered fiery speeches along with pop-star music icon Madonna. If you missed the Women’s March on Saturday, you may watch Scarlett Johansson’s, Madonna’s, and America Ferrera’s speeches again in the video player below.
Needless to say, the speeches have garnered great accolades from those who share similar views and significant outrage by those who disagree. The main Women’s March was held in Washington, D.C. with sister marches held across the country and the world.
. @Madonna , @aliciakeys , Scarlett Johansson, @AshleyJudd & more took the stage at the #WomensMarchOnWashington . https://t.co/blC732GR3W pic.twitter.com/kTNoZwfyML
— Access Hollywood (@accesshollywood) January 21, 2017
Scarlett Johansson spoke about her life in the early days of her career and how, when she lived with her father and didn’t have health care, she relied upon the services Planned Parenthood offered. She also spoke of how many of her young friends relied heavily upon Planned Parenthood and how necessary the service is for women and young girls of all ages and financial backgrounds. Here is a portion of Scarlett Johansson’s speech that focused on health care issues and reproductive rights for women.
“When I knew I was coming to speak on behalf of women’s reproductive and health issues, I have not one single of my girlfriends didn’t have a story about Planned Parenthood. They saved me so many times, one of my best girlfriends confided in me, saying they saved my a** and some other parts, too, when I found out I had precancerous signs, I never would have known about without my annual checkups. And her speech grew more emphatic and emotional as she described how the organization had helped her decide between treatment options. She was able to make some difficult decisions, deciding made what was right for her, for her body and then-partner without anyone else’s interference.”
You may watch Scarlett Johansson’s full speech as delivered at the Women’s March below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDYwWZDo1yQ
Planned Parenthood responded to Scarlett Johansson’s speech with a public thank-you tweet.
Thank you, Scarlett Johansson for speaking up for the 1 in 5 American women who’ve relied on Planned Parenthood for care. #WomensMarch pic.twitter.com/RXU5jD1MxV
— Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) January 21, 2017
Also speaking during the Washington, D.C. Women’s March was Madonna. Madonna has never been one to shy away from controversy, and maybe that’s one of the reasons it should come as no surprise that some of her comments have sparked controversy. During Madonna’s speech (you may see Madonna’s full speech in the video below), Madonna spoke of blowing up the White House. She clarified her comments on Sunday, by saying she was speaking in metaphor and though she disagrees with President Trump, has no intention of causing anyone harm. Paul Joseph Watson, who is closely associated with conservative, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, jumped on the comments and quickly shared Madonna’s speech on Twitter.
Madonna’s admission that she had “thought about blowing up the White House” was cheered by #WomensMarch attendees.
Let that sink in. pic.twitter.com/ol6aPamfAH
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) January 21, 2017
Express Yourself……………So you can Respect Yourself. ?????On Stage at the Women’s March In D.C. ???????????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/p7cEGSNFrK
— Madonna (@Madonna) January 21, 2017
You may watch Madonna’s full speech from the Women’s March below (warning, speech includes profanity)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKhVp–feJk
Conservative blog The Blaze also shared Madonna’s comments and speech on social media.
Madonna’s mouth gets the attention of the Secret Service https://t.co/sb1SsoVpXd
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) January 22, 2017
America Ferrera also delivered a speech at the Washington, D.C., Women’s March that has stirred controversy with conservatives while drawing praise from like-minded supporters. Breitbart News quickly took issue with America Ferrera’s speech which stated that America is the people, not the House, the Senate, Congress or the President. You may see the full transcript of America Ferrera’s speech on C-Span.
“It’s been a heartrending time to be both a woman and an immigrant in this country” https://t.co/sVZvahvEqm
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) January 22, 2017
You may watch America Ferrera’s speech from the Women’s March below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iFcida12WQ
Did you watch or attend the Women’s March? What are your thoughts about the movement? What did you think of Scarlett Johansson’s, Madonna’s and America Ferrara’s speeches?
[Featured Image by Mario Tama/Getty Images]