Former Eurythmics singer tells rally before International Women’s Day that election of billionaire has energised movement

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

The election of Donald Trump has energised the push for women’s rights, Annie Lennox has said as thousands took part in a rally and march in London before International Women’s Day on Wednesday.

Lennox led the march across Tower Bridge with London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, and the actor-campaigner Bianca Jagger.

Speaking at the beginning of the #March4Women event, the former Eurythmics singer said Trump’s “locker room talk”, in which he was recorded talking about grabbing women “by the pussy”, had helped to provide a catalyst for action.

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“All of a sudden there were a lot of people putting on pink pussy hats and saying ‘no’. It actually became very real for them, because when someone says: ‘It’s just locker room talk’, don’t we think it’s time that we should address that, particularly if they’re the leading representative of one of the biggest, most influential countries in the world?

“So that made women very angry, that made the issue very clear for them. But actually what we’re saying is that the issue is huge. Looking at the developing world, that is just the tip of the iceberg.”

At the same event, the great-granddaughter of suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst told reporters the fact people had voted for Trump exposed a wider problem of attitudes towards women.

Dr Helen Pankhurst, said: “I feel right now the world is so much more polarised between those who believe in going backwards and those who believe in going forwards. I just hope – on balance and on reflection, as we continue to explain why we still need to have change – that the world will continue to progress.”

Asked if her great-grandmother would have been surprised by the US president’s comments about women, she said: “No, I don’t think she would … because there’s a theme running through these ideas of a male-dominated society.

“It’s the same today as it was 100 years ago. I mean, she’d be sad. We all are.”

Singers Beth Orton and Billy Bragg and Labour MP Emily Thornberry also joined the event, which was organised by the charity Care International.