Female Lawmakers Steal the Spotlight at the State of the Union

Before President Trump began his State of the Union last night in the country’s capital, the female lawmakers took command of the program. From Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to Rep. Val Demings and Rep. Sheila Jackson, all of the female newly appointed Democratic lawmakers, including one male!, all wore white in solidarity and to honor the Suffragette movement which gave women the right to vote 100 years ago.

“By wearing suffragette white to #SOTU2019, we’re sending a message to everyone that voted for @HouseDemocrats & delivered us the majority that we’re working #ForThePeople, promoting the economic security of women & their families!” Florida Rep. Lois Frankel tweeted. Rep. Lawrence tweeted: “Today we stand together wearing white in solidarity with the women of the suffrage movement who refused to take no for an answer.”

And it was quite a sight!

"@Austynzogs: @Gidi_Traffic A group of female Democratic lawmakers chose to wear white to the #SOTU2019 speech in solidarity with women and a nod to the suffragette movement. pic.twitter.com/YT8bO2vck1

— GIDI (@Gidi_Traffic) February 6, 2019

But it was during Trump’s speech that the women really got to shine, even if that wasn’t his intention.

“No one has benefited more from our thriving economy than women, who have filled 58 percent of the new jobs created in the last year,” Trump said. That is when the female Democrats stood up and applauded themselves, and others joined in. Trump’s response? “You were not supposed to do that.”

Then the president added: “And exactly one century after Congress passed the constitutional amendment giving women the right to vote, we also have more women serving in Congress than ever before.” The women stood up again, and people then started chanting “USA! USA!”

What President Trump didn’t acknowledge is the reason why so many women decided to run for office. Some of them, who had never held office as a public servant, ran for office as a response to Trump’s agenda.

Democratic women in Congress are wearing "suffragette white" to President Trump's State of the Union, a "message of solidarity with women across the country, and a declaration that we will not go back on our hard-earned rights” #stateoftheunion #womenincongress #democratic pic.twitter.com/2VWx1fntE5

— Lyn (@lyndawatersnewk) February 6, 2019

“Tonight, we expect the occupant of the White House to utter the customary phrase, ‘The state of our union is strong.’ If that is true, it has nothing to do with the Trump administration,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley said before the president spoke, and she was 100 percent accurate.

Rep. Veronica Escobar said: “Tonight, we will undoubtedly hear about the wall that this administration has been so obsessed with…We know walls are necessary and we know that they are symbols of xenophobia and bigotry and hatred.”

So while the president went on and on about his accomplishments, the real proof of positive change were the rows of women all in white, standing together as representatives of their communities.