Holy Wimmin's Rights Batman!

That's right, Take Back The Night came back this year. It was lots of fun, but I wish that we didn't have to do this still.

Take Back the Night, for those of you who don't know, started in the 1800's (I don't remember the year, I wasn't there haha!) to protest against violence against wimmin and children, and also to bring awarness that it is not safe for said persons to walk at night.

Approximately 150-200 years later, we are still marching, unfortunately. The Marcgh in Fredericton this year addressed more issues besides violence, but also pay equity and reproductive rights.

I'd guess at about 75-100 wimmin showed up for the annual march at city hall. There The Sexual Crisis Centre's (who hosted the event) volunteers and organizers spoke briefly about Take Back The Night. Then they introduced Alison Brewer who spoke about Wimmin's rights in New Brunswick. She spoke of a bleak future which I hope is a false prediction. There aren't many wimmin in the legislature, and many of them do not care for wimmin's rights. I find this a blatant contradiction.

After Ms. Brewer's speech, the wimmin and children started marching and the men cheered us on as we departed. I had a friend from the Sexual Crisis Centre that asked me to lead the chants on a megaphone. Being the loudmouth I am, I was delighted to help out. We marched around town and luckily there weren't any men stupid enough to mess with us. We got a lot of cheers from curious onlookers and I'm sure I speak for all the wimmin present when I say I felt very "emmersed in the sisterhood" as cheesy as that sounds. I felt like we could have done anything that night. There was only one thing wrong that night.

COPS! Why do we need 4 cop cars? Its like we're asking for permission. "Excuse me Mr. Police Officer sir, would you help lil ol us take back the night, becuase we can't do it all alone..." The point of taking back the night is that wimmin are taking back the streets! I think having the police present is an insult to us. Are they trying to protect us? Who's going to be stupid enough to fuck with close to 100 angry feminists? Maybe they have to be there to protect other people from us? I like to tell myself that. I makes me feel better about the police presence making us a joke. Maybe the wimmin of fredericton should organize another march and do it without the police.

Let me know what you think about a police presence at a march such as this. I'm curious to know your thoughts.