(WBIR- Downtown Knoxville) The Tennessee legislature begins a new session Tuesday, and a women's rights rally is scheduled to mark lawmakers return to Nashville.
Elizabeth Porter and Gina Farris, the organizers of the Women's March on Nashville, are from Knoxville.
After Amendment 1 passed in the November election, they said they wanted to do something to advocate for future legislation regarding women and show lawmakers that women in Tennessee are standing up for themselves.
"We are watching them, and we are watching the bills that are coming down the pike," Porter said. "And that we are advocating for our own rights as women in the state of Tennessee."
The two garnered support from former democratic state representative Gloria Johnson who said she heard about the movement after the passage of Amendment 1.
"There's a lot of people in the state that feel like we're seeing anti-women legislation," Johnson said, "and we want to make sure that our voices are heard in Nashville."
The group's concerns include women's healthcare, pay equality, education, childcare, and more.
Porter said more than 50 women from Knoxville will be headed to Nashville on Tuesday either via bus or carpool. The group is hoping at least 500 people show up, but according to their Facebook page, 1,700 people have signed up.
"I think they're going to have to listen to our voices because there are going to be a lot of us," Johnson said. "And there are a lot of issues and a lot of concern, and we've already been talking with legislators."
The group is encouraging people to make signs and wear green to show solidarity. Porter said green was the color of the vote No on 1 campaign, and they want to continue that trend with this rally.
"Our hope is that we can get enough people together who have the same ideals and the same aspirations for women in Tennessee that we can continue this," Porter said.
