On Saturday, March 8, protesters took to the streets in West Hollywood and cities across the United States to mark International Women’s Day with a unified demand: “Stop the War on Women and LGBTQ People! The Fascist Trump Regime Must Go! In the Name of Humanity, We Refuse to Accept a Fascist America!” Organized by RefuseFascism.org, the demonstrations denounced the Trump administration’s policies as an escalating threat to women’s rights, LGBTQ freedoms, and democracy itself, just weeks into the president’s second term.
In West Hollywood, demonstrators gathered at 3 p.m. in West Hollywood Park, joining a nationwide wave of actions that included a 1 p.m. rally in New York City’s Union Square and events in dozens of other towns and cities. The protests aimed to galvanize opposition to what participants describe as an escalating assault on women’s and LGBTQ rights following Trump’s re-election.
Organizers pointed to Trump’s Supreme Court appointees, who were instrumental in overturning abortion rights, as a catalyst for the movement. “Tens of thousands of women have had their lives foreclosed through forced motherhood,” a statement from RefuseFascism.org read, citing cases of women brought to the brink of death from sepsis due to restrictive reproductive laws. The group also condemned what they called “Christian fascists at the heart of MAGA,” accusing them of pushing to ban not only abortion but also birth control nationwide, while targeting LGBTQ individuals with policies that protesters labeled as having “genocidal implications.”
Speakers at the West Hollywood rally criticized Trump’s administration for its rhetoric and actions since his inauguration just over a month ago. They highlighted remarks from Trump blaming diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives for plane crashes, as well as Vice President JD Vance’s comments denigrating childless women. “These towering misogynists have the audacity to claim their attacks on trans people are about ‘protecting women,’” one organizer shouted to the crowd. “We say: NO! HELL NO!”
The protests come amid broader concerns about the Trump administration’s agenda, with RefuseFascism.org pointing to “open white supremacy, xenophobia, and threats against whole countries” as evidence of a fascist trajectory. The group urged participants to sustain momentum, calling for “massive and unrelenting struggle” to drive the administration from power.
In West Hollywood, a diverse crowd of women, LGBTQ individuals, and allies waved signs and chanted slogans like “We won’t go back!” and “The Fascist Trump Regime Must Go!” Leaflets distributed at the event, available for download on RefuseFascism.org, outlined the group’s demands and encouraged attendees to organize further actions.
Social media amplified the message, with Instagram posts from RefuseFascism listing protest locations and urging supporters to visit the organization’s website for more information, to sign up, or to donate. The hashtag #InternationalWomensDay trended alongside images of packed streets and protest art.
RefuseFascism.org has positioned the day as a launching point for sustained resistance, encouraging people to “fill the streets in towns and cities across the country” with everyone who opposes a “fascist America.” The group’s national website offers resources for finding or hosting events, as well as a platform to register new protests.
As night fell in West Hollywood, the crowd remained defiant, vowing to return in greater numbers until their demands are met. For now, the message is clear: “We won’t submit.”
For more details or to get involved, visit RefuseFascism.org or follow @RefuseFascism on social media.
Nice swing and miss, Jane . WeHo has our own government, which means we do not vote for the L.A. Mayor . Better luck next time .
Just to be clear , we have our own government in West Hollywood, so the attempted slam about LA Mayor Bass was nothing but a gigantic whiff.
lol. Protest Trump, but you’ll vote for the grossly incompetent Karen Bass. Got it.