Feminist Icon Gloria Steinem Says She'll Co-Chair Women's March After Trump's Inauguration
The longtime activist is set to lead the women's protest after inauguration.
— -- Feminist icon Gloria Steinem is set to add some star-power to a planned women's protest the day after President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony.
As of this morning, the “Women's March on Washington” had at least 156,000 committed attendees on Facebook, with the event billed as a peaceful protest directed more at promoting women’s issues than directly opposing Trump. It is scheduled to start near the U.S. Capitol Saturday, Jan. 21.
Steinem, 82, Tuesday posted to her Instagram account that she will serve as an honorary co-chairwoman of the protest alongside Harry Belafonte, as well as other prominent activist group leaders.
The group said the march will serve as a response to rhetoric pushed during Trump's campaign that it argues "insulted, demonized and threatened" immigrants, minorities, the LGBTQ community and other groups.
"Our communities are hurting and scared," the group's mission statement reads. "We are confronted with the question of how to move forward in the face of national and international concern and fear."
Trump himself has mostly dismissed criticism of the controversial statements he made on the campaign trail, now arguing he will have no problem unifying the country and that anti-Trump protesters are "acting unfairly."
Trump is unconcerned about the potential for protests during the inauguration week, his Inaugural Committee communications director, Boris Epshteyn, told CNN Tuesday.
"We're here to hear their concerns," Epshteyn said. "We understand that people have concerns, but we welcome them to our side as well."