Women Share the Tattoos They Got to Commemorate the Women's March

While activists are finding ways to make sure the activism behind the Women's March lasts for the rest of a Trump presidency, some of those who marched are going with a more permanent sentiment by getting tattoos.

Unofficial estimates believe over 500,000 people attended the D.C. march, some of whom made their way into local tattoo shops, like D.C.-based Tattoo Paradise. "We saw quite a good spike this weekend related to Women's March," Nick and artist at Tattoo Paradise told Broadly. "Saturday, we tattooed around 75 people from about 5 PM until we closed at 1 AM." According to Tattoo Paradise, most of the tattoos were equal rights themed and included "a lot of feminine symbols."

Alex Schuman was one of the women who got inked for in honor of the march. She did so because she couldn't attend the march for health reasons. "I get very anxious and tend to fall into panic attacks when in large crowds," Schuman told Broadly. Getting a tattoo meant being a part of history. "Thinking about being in potentially one of the largest crowds in the country's history gave me a stomach ache, and at the same time, thinking about not being a part of history gave me a headache." The tattoo meant she could finally resolve her conflicted feelings, she opted for a simple Venus symbol on her arm.

Like Schuman, Rachel K. of Denver decided to also get a Venus symbol. "I felt so inspired and empowered to be surrounded by such accepting individuals," she explained. For Rachel, the Venus symbol also represented a way to commemorate the women's marches around the world. "I wanted to get something simple and easy, and the Venus symbol was the best choice." Echoing Schuman, Rachel says it will forever remind her of the march. "I will always remember the steps that women and supporters took on Saturday, January 21st to stand up for what we believe in."

Kat Meyers felt somewhat conflicted about getting a Women's March tattoo. Not wanting to seem like a "white woman doing some token thing that doesn't help the cause," ultimately Meyers sees getting a tattoo as, "a permanent reminder that I'm alive and I care." It's more than just a way to commemorate the march, but also a reminder to never give into Trump's administration for the next four years.

Meyers opted for an "NC" symbol, which stands for "non-compliant" and hails from the Bitch Planet graphic novels, on her wrist. The story follows a group of women sent off to a prison in space for being deemed non-compliant women, something Meyers hopes to be during Trump's tenure as president.

The March itself has been a lightning rod for various critiques from all sides, with some calling out the lack of police interventions at the marches as a symbol of privilege reserved for white women. "I benefit from a significant amount of privilege, and if I comply I'm agreeing with his policies and refusing to check my privilege for the sake of immediate comfort," said Meyers. Ultimately, she hopes her tattoo will act as a permanent reminder to show up for others who don't benefit from the same privileges she does.