Once Donald Trump becomes president, Chris Hudson said, she’ll have a target on her back.
The 34-year-old artist is a transgender woman and a lesbian small-business owner. She lives in rural Isle La Motte, where Trump tallied (four) more votes than Democrat Hillary Clinton. Oh, and her wife, Shelly Hail, is a permanent resident from Israel whose visa is up for review next year.
Trump, in other words, stands opposed to her sexuality and lifestyle in more ways than one, she said.
On Friday, Hudson stood in front of a crowd in Burlington’s City Hall Park and led a diverse group of some 200 people in a raucous chant of “Love Trumps Hate!”
“You have to stand up, you have to act,” she said. “If you’re afraid, they’ve already won. Don’t be afraid; we’re all here together.”
The anti-Trump rally brought together people from several of the groups that the president-elect managed to malign during his campaign: women, minorities, immigrants, the LGBTQ community, the disabled and sex assault survivors. All spoke of the horrors they fear they will face under such an intolerant leader of the free world.
One woman quoted Desmond Tutu: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”
Some young women stood in solidarity in the blustery cold with “Nasty Woman” written on their cheeks, a reference to a comment Trump directed toward Clinton during the third presidential debate.
Several people hoisted signs bearing slogans such as “Love Trumps Hate,” “I’m Still With Her,” “Queers Against Trump,” “Black Lives Matter,” and “He’s Not My President.”
Middlebury College first-year student Cora Kircher carried a sign that read “Pussies Grab Back,” a cheeky nod to Trump’s infamous “grab them by the pussy” comment captured on a hot mic in 2005.
Kircher, 18, told Seven Days she felt she needed to make a stand against the misogyny and xenophobia — “among all the other things,” she added — espoused by the man set to become the 45th president of the United States. One of her main concerns was the “normalization of rape” after the election of a man accused by several women of sexual assault.
David Schein, a local artist and self-described veteran of the 1960s tumult in Berkeley, Calif., surrounding the Vietnam War and other social issues, urged students and young activists to get involved in national politics. He encouraged attendees to “get your bail money together” and to head to Washington, D.C., for a “Million Women March” scheduled for January 21 — the day after Trump’s inauguration.
“We live in such a bubble here and it’s great for people to get involved in national politics,” Schein told Seven Days. “Whatever happens in the rest of America is very different than here.”
Jeanette Bacevius, a mental health counselor at the Howard Center, led the crowd in a singalong to lift spirits.
“I’m so proud of our community,” she said to cheers. “We can do this together and we are not alone. I commit to continue standing up for the rights of others.”
A second rally, a candlelight community vigil, is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, also in City Hall Park.
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I see Seven Days has one again choose to stoke the fires of hate and devided in our country by only publishing negative stories. How about writing an article about Trump’s economic plan that will create jobs for students when they finish school so they can repay their loans and give tax credits to small businesses supporting business owners like Chris Hudson. Trump’s has voiced his acceptance of the LBTGQ community multiple times so when the protesters refuse to accept that and Seven Day continues to publish false stories about his stance it only holds our country back and does nothing to make the lives of Americans better. Come on Seven Day staff hold your selves to a higher standard, so people like Chris Hudson can start to see a positive future for themselves and America.
What about this story is false, Citizen? I ask earnestly.
And can you educate everyone and describe Mr. Trump’s economic plan in detail, which you reference? Many of us who have studied Trump’s statements don’t see much of any plan.
Also, how is this story stoking the fires of hate? Seems to me this story is expressing the genuine fear that many individuals are feeling. In fact, what they are chanting is “Love Trumps hate”, are they not?
I would sympathize with these young’uns. But I voted, and I voted for Trump’s Democratic opponent; I suspect that many, if not most, of the kids in this crowd did not. Don’t protest if you helped elect Trump.
One of her main concerns was the normalization of rape after the election of a man accused by several women of sexual assault.
And yet you are OK with Hillary protecting Bill in his cases of rape. I get Trump is not a “nice person” but neither is HIllary. I appreciate the effort you are putting into protesting Trump. Perhaps your energy would be better used by making sure we don’t have elections where one disgusting person runs against another.
To equate Hillary with Trump on rape is insane. But there you go again in your obsessive, pathological hatred of Hillary.
What a bunch of whiny crybabies..Trump is not against same sex marriage, he is not deporting everyone, only the drug dealers, criminals, if Chris Hudson wife visa is up next yr all she has to do is apply for another one or become a American citizen..why hasn’t she done it before now.??
Because you didn’t get the one you wanted for President..you cry, go into safe zones,protest, hold up signs..How many of these young people voted, probably not many.. all democrats? When obama was elected twice Republicans didn’t cry like babies, go into safe zones, nor riot etc, we just dealt with it..
Citizen..you have to remember that Seven Days are mostly democrat liberals and read by liberals..Anytime I make a comment about a Republican or say I’m a Republican I get a lot of dislikes..lol watch how many dislikes I get…lol lol
What Hillary did, in a sense, was much worse. She bullied the victims into remaining silent and was complicit in the buy offs that took place on Bill’s behalf. We won’t address the audio of her laughing about getting a rapist off. What makes this worse, if you could imagine anything making it worse, is that she then tried to portray herself as fighting for women everywhere. I’m not excusing Trump at all but let’s not let Hillary off the hook either.
“Love trumps hate”? Not in the United States it doesn’t. Republicans are successful precisely because they play on the hatred of the electorate. If they were just running on their failed economic policy, they’d never get elected to anything. No they play on racism, homophobia, xenophobia and other assorted goodies from the hate bag and win elections.Unfortunately we come from a nation of ignorant, hate filled hillbillies. It has always been so and will always be.
@Roy..”Unfortunately we come from a nation of ignorant, hate filled hillbillies. It has always been so and will always be.” What are you?? Are you even a Vermonter, or a American Citizen??? Kind of racist statement..You should be a shame to even make that statement..
Many of our great Presidents were “Hillbillies”..Many Hillbillies did a lot for this country, built it, fought for it, ran it and you know what they weren’t IGNORANT either..They were smart, They weren’t rich either..they worked their butts off to make our country great..Sargent Alvin York, Audie Murphy, both most decorated soldiers, to name a couple of Hillbillies..You must be a democrat, a Clinton lover who is crying because she didn’t win..We hillbillies, aren’t out protesting, destroying cites, stealing, blocking major highways, pulling people out of their cars and beating the crap out of them for voting for Trump, crying because Clinton didn’t win, sitting in a safe zone circle because they are “afraid”..I just as soon be a “HILLBILLIE” then be l like you..