BILLINGS — In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, more than 100 people gathered at the Yellowstone County Courthouse lawn on Saturday to advocate for women's rights and other political issues.
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The protest was hosted by political group People United Billings. Several speakers and attendees shared concerns about reproductive rights, access to healthcare, women's safety, and domestic violence.
“I am outside because it's Women’s Day and I've been a woman for a long time," said Vicki Nelson, a protester. "I think we've been intimidated and told to be quiet for too long, and that time is up. It's time to speak out.”
International Women’s Day, officially recognized by the United Nations in 1977, has become a global occasion for protests and political action rooted in women's efforts to improve worker's rights. This year’s rally in Billings showcased the different concerns of local activists and also saw support for Ukraine and opposition to President Donald Trump.
“There’s a lot of people with a lot of causes, it's really nice to see that the group grows exponentially each time that we gather," said Nelson. “We all have causes, but some of these go beyond Democrat or Republican. Some of these are just human causes that we all need to care about.”
The Kramer family was just one of several groups in attendance with signs in support of women and transgender rights.
“It's empowering other women to be their selves, not hide," said Atlas Kramer. "It's horrible to see that they're trying to take not only women's rights but like trans rights. I feel it's very heartbreaking to see and unfortunately, I see a few people just stand by and I'm really happy that there are people who are who like my dad are not going to stand for it and I love that.”
“I believe they deserve the same rights that I do. I mean, being a straight white male I've got to use my power somewhere, so if I’m going to use it, I'm going to use it for others instead of myself," added Atlas's father, Shawn Kramer. “It's important to make our voices heard because how else are we going to get our message out there? You got to be loud, you got to be proud.”
Steve Held, a former Democratic candidate for Montana's eastern U.S. House seat, also attended the event to support women in his life.
"I have a strong, long tradition of strong women in my family, and they exist in Montana. There's nothing stronger than Montana women," said Held. "If you support the women in your life, you're going to be in the right place.”
Held also encouraged unity among Montanans and emphasized the importance of Montana’s progress in protecting reproductive and abortion rights, which were solidified in the state constitution last November.
"You need to have faith, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, everybody, that everything is going to be all right. I have faith in my fellow man and woman," said Held. "We don't realize our wins. We need to take ownership of the things that we've won and keep going because we're making a more round and full and whole country out of America."
For some, the day was not only a celebration of progress but a call to action for the future.
“I think the younger generation needs to know that the white hair, don't let it fool you. We're angry. We've been through this, we've been down this road, and we're worried about our daughters, our granddaughters, our great-granddaughters," said Nelson. "It matters."
