Thousands of protesters marched Saturday from the Massachusetts State House to Commonwealth Avenue on March 8 to protest against President Donald Trump’s administration and the rise of far-right electoral victories worldwide. The Boston iteration of the Women’s March was part of a massive demonstration movement across the United States. 

During Trump’s first term in 2017, his administration reduced access to birth control and weakened equal pay efforts. He undermined Title IX protections and appointed judges who helped end federal abortion access, including overturning Roe v. Wade. 

Eight years later, he is back in office with initiatives to roll back progressive actions.

“What scares me under the administration that hopes to dismantle rights even further, and erode our personal freedoms, is that we’re going to be living in a very scary version of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ very soon,” Siobhan Downey said, referencing the feminist themes of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel.

Downey works in a Boston law office and has found herself discouraged with recent legislation. She said that protesting provides her with a sense of community.

“I want a sense of hope in a place of despair. It feels incredibly lonely to be sitting at home looking at the news,” Downey said. “I had to turn off all news notifications because it’s hell.”

At the march, women of all generations expressed their frustrations about recent political developments.

“Here you are, looking at the world that we created for you and that we are regretting tremendously,” Carole Ferguson, who is now retired, said. “History does go forward and it loops. We are looping and I do not want to loop. I thought we were making straightforward progress.”

Scientist Fiona Sibley understands that she has to continue the fight of the women that came before her. Holding up a sign that reads, “I march because long ago, someone marched for me,” Sibley emphasized how it is not only generations of women but also men who are welcome to join the movement. Her husband, Richard Sibley, marched by her side on Women’s Day. 

“I am going to the Women’s March and all the men in my life asked, ‘Why? You are not a woman,’” Richard said. “It’s not just a battle for women, it’s a battle for humanity. As men, we have an equal responsibility to give women the freedom they deserve.”

On International Women’s Day, women around the world took to the streets, with a record number of women joining the protests, according to U.S. News. Sibley and her husband said they had never engaged in protesting before but with the recent administration changes, they felt they had no choice. 

“We want to thank Mr. Trump for making us activists,” Fiona said. 

Trump’s recent policy decisions have led some of his supporters to shift away from him and toward women’s movements, after he won among white women 53% to 46% over Harris in November, according to AP VoteCast.

Downey stressed how important it is to accept that people’s views can change. 

“It starts with understanding that you have to give grace to people and make sure that others have the opportunity to come into our movement because we are not going to make it alone,” she said. 

She also highlighted the importance of education in changing people’s perception. 

“If you had asked me about Israel-Palestine in high school, I probably would have told you something very different than I say now because I wasn’t informed and because the issues evolve,” she said. “I don’t think it’s ever too late [to join social movements].”