International Women’s Day is celebrated on March 8 in commemoration of women’s roles in the fight for gender equality and reproductive rights, among other issues. In Seattle, various organizations held rallies and marches that Sunday in protest of the Trump administration.
The most organized of these actions was the one the Defund Musk Women’s Group held in Cal Anderson Park. Also known as the Seattle Handmaids, the group is recognized for its Handmaid Coalition –inspired approach to bringing awareness to societal issues affecting women, involving donning a red cloak and white bonnet and holding signs that state facts and statistics related to gender-based violence and sexist practices by institutions, such as “A rape occurs in the U.S. every 9 sec.” Another highlighted wealth disparity among women: “Women own only 20% of the land.”
The goal of this event was to bring awareness to these issues and heighten the voices of those most affected by policies and political corruption, including LGBTQIA+ people, women of color, Indigenous women, and women with disabilities.
The Seattle Handmaids first demonstrated in July 2025 at the Tesla dealership in University Village. At the time, the group had 16 handmaids; the number has since increased to 130 volunteers. Their attire references characters from Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, which tells of a post–United States totalitarian society in which women are stripped of human rights.
Other groups also partnered to organize this event, including the wider Washington State Handmaid Coalition, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Evergreen Resistance.
Nature proved a formidable force on this 40-degree morning, as torrential rains were hurled from the sky, heavy enough to block one’s view from a 20-foot radius. The wet cold was intense enough to chill bones and leave clothes feeling saturated. Despite these less than ideal conditions, hundreds gathered in an outpouring of support for women’s rights and opposition to President Trump’s harmful policies.
Speakers
Before the march, speakers from various groups addressed the crowd. Organizers Amanda and Zoey began by presenting the Declaration of the Handmaids Coalition, which demands that Congress support the Equal Rights Amendment, which would prohibit discrimination based on sex and ensure legal protections for gender equality.
The FRSO’s speaker Meredith discussed the socialist origins of International Women’s Day, a holiday first declared in 1922 by Vladimir Lenin to honor women’s roles in the 1917 February Revolution. She reflected on how women in the workforce suffer under capitalism, especially migrant women targeted by ICE.
A representative of Seattle Against War spoke on the recent bombing of Iran by the US and Israel, mentioning that on the first day, the US destroyed a girls’ elementary school, killing 165 children and teachers.
Danni Askini of the Gender Justice League spoke on recent attacks against Trans women, particularly in Kansas, which has a bounty provision against Trans people using facilities not aligning with their assigned sex at birth, as well as a recent law that invalidates driver’s licenses for Transgender people.
In a world that continues to get smaller and smaller for Trans people, Zoey and Amanda said they hope to provide acceptance and sisterhood to them. “I am disgusted and I’m horrified — just being Trans alone is a struggle to identify who you are and be brave enough to come out in that way that we should honor and celebrate,” Zoey stated.
Seattle City Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Seattle City Attorney Erika Evans also made speaking appearances and joined in the crowd for the march.
Support the Seattle Gay News: Celebrate 52 Years with Us!
As the third-oldest LGBTQIA+ newspaper in the United States, the Seattle Gay News (SGN) has been a vital independent source of news and entertainment for Seattle and the Pacific Northwest since 1974.
As we soon enter into our 52nd year, we need your support to continue our mission.
A monthly contribution will ensure that SGN remains a beacon of truth and a virtual gathering place for community dialogue.
Help us keep printing and providing a platform for LGBTQIA+
voices.
How you can donate!
Using this link: givebutter.com/6lZnDB
Text “SGN” to 53-555
Or Scan the QR code below!
