A Notable Absence At The Women’s March In Nashville — The Mayor

Nashville’s first female mayor, who has made gender equality a central issue of her administration — even creating a gender equity council last July — did not make it to the city’s sister event to the march on Washington, D.C.

Mayor Megan Barry makes time in her schedule for many events, some of them relatively small, often on nights and weekends. But when asked why she wasn’t at Saturday’s march, she said she had been busy.

“I wasn’t at the march because I was actually doing some other things that day,” she said. “I was so excited to see all the great energy for all the people who were out there. It was a real testament that 15,000 people came out in Nashville.”

Barry has been a vocal supporter of organizations like Planned Parenthood and LGBT groups, and her penchant for activism was raised as an issue when she ran for mayor.

Since taking office, she has had to balance promoting progressive city policies and cooperating with the Republican-dominated state legislature. Currently, her office is trying to help Governor Bill Haslam push through a transportation funding plan that could result in a stream of transit money for the city.

When asked Monday, Barry did not acknowledge any political calculation for sitting out the march.

WPLN’s Erin Logan contributed to this report.