NEW YORK — It was a strong show of solidarity in Lower Manhattan on Saturday as reproductive rights activists protested the Texas abortion law, which bans most abortions in that state.
“My body, my choice!” demonstrators chanted.
Hundreds of New Yorkers marched from Foley Square to Washington Square Park on Saturday afternoon:
Protesters say they’re fed up with what they believe are constant attacks on a woman’s right to choose.
In 2019, New York passed the Reproductive Health Act, which guarantees all women and birthing people are able to have an abortion, regardless of what happens at the federal level. But many protesters say an attack on one woman’s rights is an attack on us all.
March organizers also say laws that limit access to abortion hurt women of color the most. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes in the United States than white women.
“We know that Brown and Black people, Hispanic and Latinx populations and indigenous populations, they are all disproportionately affected by abortion bans,” said Rose Baseil Massa, an organizer for March for Abortion Justice. “So it’s really important for us to stand here in solidarity.”
It’s a feeling also shared by the LGBTQ community, who say the fight for reproductive justice must be inclusive and intersectional.
“Abortion rights are human rights, are LGBTQ+ rights,” said Brita Filter, the co-chair of the nonprofit Drag Out The Vote. “It’s important that we take care of all of those within our community. And I’m here to let it be known!”
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