Women’s March schedules massive nationwide events to protest Texas assault on reproductive rights
Remember the pink pussy hats?
They were ubiquitous at the historic initial Women’s March on Washington that took place the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration back in 2017, complemented by 408 other similar gatherings around the country and 168 events in 81 different countries around the world.
The goal at that first march was to advocate for issues important to women globally, including women’s rights, immigration reform, healthcare reform, disability justice, reproductive rights, the environment, LGBTQ rights, racial equality, freedom of religion, workers’ rights, and tolerance, but there is no doubt that the primary impetus for the movement was the many misogynistic statements made by the man who had been installed in the White House the previous day.
The crowds for that initial Women’s March put to shame the pitiful attendance at Trump’s inauguration the day before that the new president’s shameful first press secretary, Sean Spicer, was forced to blatantly lie about to try to avoid total humiliation.
Hopefully, the number of participants in that first Women’s March — which was estimated to be as many as 5,246,670 people nationwide — will pale by comparison to a new series of marches scheduled for October 2nd to protest the passage of the draconian new anti-abortion laws passed in Texas last week and to mobilize in defense of women’s reproductive rights.
Billed by its organizers as a series of “mass mobilization events” to be held in all 50 states, the Women’s March organization will be partnering with approximately 90 other groups, including Planned Parenthood, SHERO Mississippi, Mississippi in Action, Access Reproductive Care-Southeast, SisterSong, The Frontline, the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, and the Working Families Party to help get the word out and attract participants of any gender identity in their struggle to combat the unprecedented assault on women’s rights to bodily autonomy.
The organizers made their intentions clear in a series of Twitter posts promoting the march.
We don’t say this lightly: we’re at grave risk of losing our reproductive freedoms. All of us need to fight back.
That’s why on October 2, we’re marching in every state.
Pledge to march with us and over 90 organizations to #DefendAbortion: https://t.co/5qByyD3hae
— Women's March (@womensmarch) September 3, 2021
There's never been a more crucial time to show up for abortion access.
Let's rise to the urgency of this moment and make it clear that we won't let the GOP try to control our bodies.
We're marching on 10/2 in every single state. Join us: https://t.co/5qByyD3hae
— Women's March (@womensmarch) September 3, 2021
We’re marching for our access to abortion.
Before SCOTUS reconvenes on 10/4, we’re showing up in every single state to send a message: attacks on our reproductive freedom won’t be tolerated.
Pledge to march with us & 90+ orgs to #DefendAbortion on 10/2: https://t.co/o8lPsgHA52
— Women's March (@womensmarch) September 4, 2021
With the battle for women’s freedom of choice expanding beyond Texas to other Republican-controlled states with plans to enact similarly restrictive regulations on reproductive health, the importance of a tremendous turnout to this next march simply cannot be overemphasized.
Head to the website of the Women’s March at this link to pledge to join the march and donate to help support their efforts in “dismantling systems of oppression through nonviolent resistance and building inclusive structures guided by self-determination, dignity, and respect,” as their mission statement promises.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Julia Manchester at The Hill.
We want to hear what YOU have to say. Scroll down and let us know in our comment section!
