Kentucky voices were part of the massive joint protests taking place at home and in Washington, D.C.
The commonwealth went overwhelmingly for President Donald Trump in last November’s election, handing him as whopping 30 point margin, but Saturday saw the backlash – with an estimated 5000+ demonstrators taking to the streets for the local Women’s March according to Lexington police. Louisville and Murray also held sister rallies.
"Here in Kentucky, especially with the new legislative session, just earlier this month we've had already a lot of attacks on women's rights this year. It's scary and frustrating," says Lexington marcher Sandra Broadus. "Our message is to Donald Trump but our message is also to [Governor] Matt Bevin."
Many sign-holders opted for variations on Trump's now-famous "nasty woman" comment referring to his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton during their final debate. Others read "Refuse fascism," "The Handmaid's Tale is not an instruction manual," and "The future is female."
Meanwhile, at the nation's capital, actress and University of Kentucky alum Ashley Judd heaped indictments on the new president in a fiery beat poetry reading that’s gone viral in the days since.
"I am a nasty woman. I’m as nasty as a man who looks like he bathes in Cheetos dust. A man whose words are a distract to America. Electoral college-sanctioned, hate-speech contaminating this national anthem. I’m not as nasty as Confederate flags being tattooed across my city," she charged, reciting from a piece penned by 19-year-old Tennessee woman Nina Donovan.
Some Kentucky lawmakers also made the trip to celebrate and welcome Mr. Trump’s arrival in Washington.
Among them was Winchester Senator Ralph Alvarado, who scored a speaking slot at last July's Republican National Convention. Ahead of the planned protests, Alvarado told WUKY demonstrators are exercising a fundamental American right, though he detected a hint of hypocrisy.
"Many were critical of Donald Trump during the campaign when he said 'well, we'll see what happens if I don't win, whether I'm going to accept it,'" Alvarado said. "And yet these are the people who are coming and protesting, he's an illegitimate president."
President Trump himself is no stranger to debates over legitimacy, however. The real estate mogul nurtured the so-called “birther” movement, questioning former President Barack Obama’s birthplace for years leading up to his entrance into politics.
