On Earth Day, we marched for Science. We marched for space exploration and cures for disease, for electricity and for the planet, and for everything that science has a hand in which is, well, everything.
And let me tell you, scientists make the best signs. Hands down.
Out of the labs and into the streets, rain or shine. Here’s what it looked like in Washington, D.C.
What were some of your favorite signs from the science marches?
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Molly Adams is an LA-based photographer. You can find documenting life from Afghanistan to Standing Rock to the LA queer nightlife. You can also find her on Instagram.
Molly has written 59 articles for us.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. The images from DC are beautiful and those signs so on point. We had a 3,000 person march in Arcata CA yesterday (total town population: 15,000) and it seemed like every wildlife biologist, university chemistry professor, physician and nerd lady for a hundred miles was there. My favorite sign from our march was wordless – a portrait of John Muir on one side, a portrait of Rachel Carson on the other.
These are brilliant. I truly hope that this is the beginning of turning the tide for decency and the value of truth.
The scientists stuff is clever I will give you that. But nothing tops Melissa Benoit’s message aka Supergirl on the women’s march. That being said the one that struck me with the most thought was the sixth picture down.
I never thought I would have to protest for Science. Not Earth day, not stop pollution or violence. But for SCIENCE.
That is truly a scary thought for any of us as humans to have to protest for science. The ignorant is in charge. God help us all.
I protested with my postdoc mentor – her sign was in support of LGBTQ health research – and she was super disappointed to see so little mention of LGBTQ issues. So, she decided to photobomb everyone she could with her sign to raise awareness. :)
My favourite sign from the Ottawa Science March on Saturday was:
“Science enabled your gross fake tan you ignorant orange fascist”
I’m in a state of quandary because I don’t want people judging me using stereotypes. But the difference between people marching for science and pro-Trump supporters is astounding to me. Not surprising though. You do have to be dumb to support him.
This essay is great! My feelings on the science march itself, however, are less great. This New Republic article talks about how the march began explicitly intersectional, and then disavowed that:
Science isn’t “neutral.” Science of is of the world, and so are the queer people, trans people, people of color, women, and poor folks into whose lives science has many times inserted itself in damaging ways. There is no “neutral” here, and if there were, it isn’t the absence of all of those folks and our daily concerns.
The march did some pretty objectionable things, and I’m not pleased how they’re not only getting a pass, but getting praised for it. Remember how quickly people jumped down the throats of the Women’s March organizers?
The thousand or so* people who turned out for the local march were somewhat intersectional, in that LGBTQ people, black people, and women displayed their proud to be a nerd attitude. A good time was had by all. A fair number of retired teachers turned out – one fellow was carrying an old front-of-classroom 4 foot long demonstration slide rule as a prop (“weapon of math instruction”). Seeing as I am nearly retirement age and in perhaps the last class of American high school students to learn to use the slide rule, for sure this guy was retired.
(local newspaper estimate – I would have guessed a few hundred more – I had hoped that more would show, from the 3 local universities – I bet a few people chickened out on account of rain)