Dozens rally for women's rights in Wilkes-Barre

Jan. 19--WILKES-BARRE -- U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-8, Moosic, told a large group who gathered at the Millennium Circle on the River Common in the snow at the Northeast Pennsylvania Women's March rally Saturday about the women he admires.

The women include his late mother who graduated from Albany Law School in 1953 when law was a male-dominated field and his wife Marion Munley Cartwright who he said sticks up for people who need help. He described his wife as an inspiration and a "lioness in the courtroom."

Repeating a common theme at Saturday's rally, Cartwright led the crowd in a chant declaring women's rights are human rights.

"I regret sincerely the kind of polarization that has gone on and it makes no sense particularly when we talk about women's rights," Cartwright told the cheering group of dozens of women and a few men. "This really shouldn't be a Democrat vs. Republican issue. It's a human issue."

NEPA NOW, Action Together NEPA and Queer NEPA organized the second "NEPA Women's March," which ended up being a rally advocating for women's rights and not a march as a result of the snowy weather.

Participants said last year's march was a huge success and they wanted to keep the momentum going in 2020, a pivotal year in the history of American politics.

As a sister of the national Women's March, they said they are focused on issues such as reproductive health rights, climate justice and immigration rights.

Marilyn Calderon, a teacher and community advocate who came here from Puerto Rico, told the crowd she is proud of her accent and she is "not going to be silent anymore."

"I am a woman and proud to be a woman," Calderon said. "We have love for every person in this country, in this state and in this county."

Dr. Helen Davis, professor of women's studies at Wilkes University, focused her speech on "attempts to control our reproductive lives and our futures."

"If we do not have control over the most basic functions of our bodies, we do not have control over our futures, our health, sometimes even our very survival," Davis said.

Davis said she hates the labels "pro-life" and "pro-choice," saying, "We cannot be pro-life without believing that the person carrying the child's life also matters."

During their speeches, a group of President Donald Trump's supporters also showed up at Millennium Circle holding signs reading, "Trump, Make America Great Again."

One Trump supporter, Christian Boris of Gouldsboro, walked across the bridge with a Trump sign while a woman on the bridge displayed a rainbow flag.

Betsy Green of Tunkhannock, who wore a "Trump 2020" red hat, said Trump supporters were there to participate in a "countermarch" in response to the Women's March.

"We believe in pro-life. We believe in the president. We think he has done an incredible job. No one can deny the job he has done," Green said. "We are definitely for babies. We want to save babies' lives. Whether they are on the inside of a belly or the outside, they deserve to have life. Late-term abortion, that is insanity."

As Cartwright spoke, one of Scranton businessman Bob Bolus' giant Trump trucks pulled up in front with big letters reading, "Re-elect President Trump-Pence 2020. Keep America Great."

"I left my tractor-trailer at home," Cartwright told the crowd, who burst into laughter.

Wyoming Seminary student Emily Aikens told the crowd about her efforts to make free feminine products available for students in all Pennsylvania public schools.

She said the initiative is important because 16.7% of children in Pennsylvania live in poverty. About two-thirds of women nationally can't afford to buy both food and feminine products, she said.

"There are thousands of girls across this state who go to school every day scared they will have no products to get them through the day," Aikens said. "If schools provide free tissues and free toilet paper for students, what is the difference is providing free tampons and providing free pads?"

House Bill 1708 seeks to make it mandatory for schools statewide serving female students in grades six through 12 to provide menstrual hygiene products in bathrooms at no cost. It is encountering resistance, however, she said.

"Not having menstrual products in schools is just one of the many examples of why women are disadvantaged in society today," Aikens said. "We need to continue this fight."

Moms Demand Action local leader Shari Jacobson talked about how gun violence is a women's issue.

Citing statistics that about 1 million women in the country have been "shot or shot at" by an intimate partner and 52 women are killed with a firearm by a domestic partner every month, she said this is "unacceptable" and "has to stop."

Jacobsen said the federal Violence Against Women Act needs to be reauthorized. It should not only addresses domestic partners, but should include dangerous dating partners, she said.

Paige Cognetti, the first woman elected mayor of Scranton, spoke in favor of paid family leave for state workers.

Scranton already has three months paid maternity leave and she said, "Of course we need more than that but Scranton is at least leading the way in Pennsylvania."

Jessica Ann Rothchild, the first openly gay member on Scranton City Council, said after the first national Women's March in 2017, she wanted to see more women and more LGBTQ people holding elected office.

"Over the past few years, women have come a long way," Rothchild said. "Look how many women have run for office and won. We are here winning. We made progress locally here in Northeast Pennsylvania, where we often feel like we are 20 or 30 years behind the times."

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