Just hours prior to the commencement of International Women’s Day and the “A Day Without A Woman” general strike, the iconic Statue of Liberty found herself ensconced in darkness. It was shortly before 11 p.m., just an hour away from midnight, when the lights extinguished without any immediate explanation. Though Lady Liberty remained standing, she was shrouded in shadow.
For over an hour, the statue stayed illuminated by no lights. The lack of illumination felt significant to many observers. One Twitter user remarked that the timing was “too perfect,” prompting speculation that this blackout was a form of silent support for the strike. Others wondered if the outage was linked to President Donald Trump’s controversial travel ban affecting several Muslim-majority nations or the Republican Party’s newly unveiled healthcare plan, which many believe would benefit the wealthy while increasing costs for the elderly and low-income individuals.
The organizers behind the Women’s March on Washington and the general strike expressed gratitude towards Lady Liberty for her apparent solidarity. However, around midnight, the lights flickered back to life. According to a statement by the National Park Service, the outage was due to a power switch being turned off while faulty lighting equipment was being replaced. They clarified that it was an unplanned outage resulting from a failure to reset the lighting controller properly, not a protest gesture. Jerry Willis, a public affairs officer for the NPS, reiterated that the lighting system does not endorse any specific cause.
Despite the official explanation, many felt the timing of the blackout was just too coincidental. As the lights returned, “A Day Without A Woman” continued, with events scheduled in major cities across the nation. For more information on how to get involved, consider checking out the Women’s Strike website.
This incident serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of events and the power of symbols, even in the most unexpected circumstances. And if you’re interested in learning more about home insemination techniques, you might find our other blog post helpful at Intracervical Insemination. Additionally, for insights on boosting fertility, Make a Mom offers valuable resources. For those considering intrauterine insemination as a method, Cleveland Clinic is an excellent source of information on pregnancy and home insemination options.
In summary, the Statue of Liberty’s unexpected blackout just before the Women’s General Strike sparked a wave of speculation and discussion about symbolism and timing. While the National Park Service attributed the outage to maintenance work, many found a deeper meaning in Lady Liberty’s moment in the dark.