News

See how the #BelieveSurvivors walkout inspired action

Thousands of people stood in solidarity today with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez
By Amy Wilkinson  Published on 09/24/2018 at 3:09 PM EST
People gather in front of New York City Hall, on Monday, Sept. 24, as part of the "NYC Stands With Survivors Rally" ahead of the #BelieveSurvivors 1 p.m. walkout. AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

On Monday, September 24 at 1 p.m. ET, thousands of women and men walked out of their homes, workplaces, and classrooms in a moment of solidarity with Brett Kavanaugh accusers Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez.

The protest, initiated by the Time’s Up organization and several women’s groups, called for people to wear black, walk out, and document their support using the #BelieveSurvivors hashtag.

The call to action comes in the wake of multiple accusations leveled against President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee. On September 16, Ford went public with allegations that Kavanaugh attempted to rape her at a high school party in 1982. The following week, on September 23, The New Yorker published the account of Ramirez, who alleges that Kavanaugh exposed himself to her at a Yale University party during the 1983-84 school year. Kavanaugh and the White House have denied both accusations.

Even before the walkout officially began at 1 p.m. ET, protestors gathered outside of several senators’ offices on Capitol Hill, wearing black “Be a Hero” T-shirts and making their voices heard. Multiple arrests were reported.

Of course, many more protests were not met with police action. Whether in groups or solo (or with feline friends!), black-clad supporters across the country showed that they #BelieveSurvivors.

A number of celebrities—from America Ferrera to Eric McCormack—also pressed pause to protest.

If you want to further support the work Time’s Up is doing to help survivors of sexual assault, you can donate to its GoFundMe account, which has nearly reached its $22.5 million fundraising goal.

Grok Nation Comment Policy

We welcome thoughtful, grokky comments—keep your negativity and spam to yourself. Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.