Participants at this year’s Women’s March on March 9 will face a stark reminder of the most harrowing consequences of misogyny.
The march’s starting point at Huashan Central Art Park (華山中央藝文公園) is close to where a 30-year-old woman, surnamed Kao (高), was murdered by her archery instructor in June last year after rejecting his sexual advances.
Women’s March organizers said the symbolic location was chosen to bring attention to violence against women, which remains an urgent issue. As many as one-in-four women have suffered intimate partner violence in their lifetime, according to a 2016 survey by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
The march route will go from Huashan Central Art Park through Liberty Square (自由廣場) to the Hsin-Yi Family Square Theater (信誼好好生活廣場知新劇場). Participants can look forward to performances by artistes such as musician and filmmaker Lara Veronin (梁心頤) and Taipei Popcorn (爆米花), one of the city’s fiercest drag queens.
For those who can’t wait, the Women’s March digital campaign kicks off today across Facebook and Instagram. Participants are using the hashtag #WoMenMarch (#我們走吧) to post a photo or video of themselves marching, paired with personal reflections of their own choosing, such as why they are participating in the march and why gender equality is important to them.
This year’s event is sponsored by the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei and Facebook. The march is co-organized by Women’s March Taiwan with women’s rights and advocacy group Taipei Women’s Rescue Foundation (婦女救援基金會); Human Rights Pan Toh (人權辦桌), which seeks to build conversation around transitional justice, homelessness and human rights; and MOWES, a community space for women.
Other groups including the AMA Museum (阿嬤家—和平與女性人權館), National Taiwan University Feminism Club (台大女性研究社) and Dr Chen Wen-cheng Memorial Foundation (陳文成博士紀念基金會) have also pledged their participation.
■ The Women’s March will start at noon on March 9 at Huashan Central Art Park (華山中央藝文公園), 30-10, Beiping E Rd, Taipei City (台北市北平東路30-10號).
■ Organizations and companies are invited to register for group participation. Groups can march with their own signs and flags and will have their names displayed on the event page.
[Taipei Tiems, 2019-03-01]
