The words “feminist” and “march” don’t sit comfortably in the same phrase for many people. Visions of the 1970s women’s liberation movement, bra-burnings and Birkenstocks inevitably come to mind. The Take Back the Night march on Oct. 2, was a far cry from a hippie peace rally.
Originally aimed at reclaiming unsafe streets, neighbourhoods and campuses, Take Back the Night is now a recognized movement for solidarity towards women’s rights. Looking to empower women to reclaim the right to live free of the fear of sexual violence, Take Back the Night was a grand success in Halifax this year.
The night began with a fiercely impassioned rally in Victoria Park, where representatives of various women’s groups and community organizations spoke, and an open mic was facilitated to allow others to participate.
Young women shared deeply personal poems and reflections, adding to the atmosphere of solidarity. Crowd members were an eclectic group – students, mothers and young daughters, male supporters and allies, and a diverse group of women. The energy was palpable as the crowd of hundreds moved from Victoria Park to march through downtown Halifax.
The march had a powerful and liberating tone. Shouting chants and linking arms, we were greeted with jubilant car horns and waving supporters.
For many, the march embodies a desire to express both female solidarity and discontent with the abuses of women in our society. The march becomes both a symbolic and literal act, with women joining together to reclaim both a time and a place that have become unsafe. Living in a city, and being a woman, many take for granted the adage of, “You just shouldn’t go there at night.”
The march was evidence of a vibrant, powerful community of both women and allies who are dedicated to making Halifax a safer place. With the Dalhousie “Sleep Watcher” still at large, the march was a proclamation that women in Halifax are not content to remain victimized.
“It’s ridiculous that they haven’t caught him yet – 15 times in one year he’s broken into girls’ apartments,” said Dalhousie student Arielle Goldschlager. “Police in the south end are more concerned with giving out noise complaint tickets.”
Take Back the Night was an effective show of how women’s solidarity can bring visibility to real issues. As female students at Dalhousie, we should refuse to be victimized; either by the Sleep Watcher, chauvinistic frat boys at the bar, or men who joke about “educating women.”
I don’t want my little sister growing up in a world where men say things like that. We’ve gained a lot of ground in the past 40 years, but we still have a long way to go.
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