U.S (Washington Insider Magazine) -Thousands of protestors marched at rallies across cities in the US and Washington, D.C. Saturday, demanding continued access to abortion after conservative judges and lawmakers imposed restrictive bans and restrictions on abortion rights.
The first Women’s March of the Biden administration headed straight for the steps of the Supreme Court, decrying Texas’ recent law that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
The new Texas law, which took effect Sept. 1, contains no exceptions for cases of rape, sexual abuse or incest — making it the most restrictive in the country.
Women filled the streets surrounding the court, shouting “My body, my choice” and cheering loudly to the beat of drums.
Before heading out on the march, demonstrators rallied in a square near the Whitt House, waving signs that said “Keep your policies off my body,” “Time to ovary-react” and “My body my choice” amongst other messages.
Some wore T-shirts reading simply “1973,” a reference to the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which legalized abortion across the country.
“From the east to the west, from the north to the south, we rallied in 650 locations in all 50 states. But this is only the beginning. Our fight for abortion justice is far from over,” The Women’s March organization tweeted Sunday.
The #RallyForAbortionJustice took place at 650 locations in all 50 states — in-person and virtually.
“No matter where you live, no matter where you are, this moment is dark — it is dark — but that’s why we’re here,” Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood, told participants at the Washington, D.C. protest.
“It is our job to imagine the light, even when we can’t see it. It is our job to turn pain into purpose. It is our job to turn pain into power.”
Nearly all House Democrats came together last week to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) in response to the mounting fears that the Supreme Court will overturn Roe after the Texas law was imposed.
Planned Parenthood of Illinois senior director of public policy Brigid Leahy told the Associated Press at the Springfield march that women started traveling to Illinois two days after the Texas law took effect.
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court begins a new term, which in December will include arguments in Mississippi’s bid to overturn 1973′s landmark Roe v. Wade decision guaranteeing a woman’s right to an abortion.
