'Bans Off Our Bodies' rally planned for Ocala following leaked Roe v. Wade abortion draft

Danielle Johnson, Ocala Star-Banner
·3 min read
Co-organizers Bert Perkins and Francine Julius Edwards of both the Democratic Women's Club of Marion County and the Greater Marion NOW, organized The Four Corner Rally for abortion rights Saturday morning, October 2. "We believe in Pro-Choice, my body my choice," Edwards said. The group also met opposition by Pro-Life supporters who chanted "Baby killers, baby killers."

Following the leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion suggesting Roe v. Wade will be overturned, organizers around the country are planning to gather nationwide to support abortion access and reproductive freedom.

In Ocala, NOW (National Organization for Women) of Greater Marion County and the Democratic Women’s Club of Marion County have organized a local “Bans Off Our Bodies” protest in which at least 300 people are expected to gather.

Coinciding with protests across the country organized by the Women’s March and Planned Parenthood, local organizers plan to rally in Ocala from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday.

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Those who wish to attend will receive the event location after registering on the online Mobilize platform.

“We are adamant about being peaceful and keeping it calm,” local Democratic Women’s Club President Francine Julius Edwards said. "We want to be very clear that (it’s) our body, our choice. We are very concerned about the leaked brief.”

'Democracy is certainly at stake'

The overturning of Roe v. Wade, originally decided in 1973, would eliminate the constitutional right to an abortion, and up to 26 states are expected to quickly ban abortion if the court’s decision is confirmed.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law last month banning most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Taking effect July 1, the new law includes exceptions if a person’s health is threatened by the pregnancy or the fetus has a fatal abnormality.

It does not make exceptions for pregnancies from rape, incest or human trafficking.

"We believe in pro-choice, my body my choice," Francine Julius Edwards said during a rally in October.
"We believe in pro-choice, my body my choice," Francine Julius Edwards said during a rally in October.

If the Supreme Court overturns legalized abortion as a result of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision regarding Mississippi's law, state governments will control abortion laws, and Edwards fears an outright abortion ban could be passed in Florida.

“The Supreme Court, the legislative bodies are supposed to work for ‘we the people,’ and it's turned into a big power game,” Edwards said. “We just have to make those voices heard. Democracy is certainly at stake.”

Polling shows majority support legal abortion in most or all cases

A recent Pew Research Center survey found 19% of U.S. adults believe abortion should be legal in all cases. Another 42% believe it should be legal in most cases or legal in all cases other than a few exceptions. Only 8% said it should be illegal in all cases without exceptions. Another 29% said it should be illegal in most cases or illegal in all cases with a few exceptions.

"I'm formally here because women are being treated like animals. There are men sitting behind desks making the decisions that are wrong," Karen Reed, a pro-choice supporter, said during an Oct. 2 rally.
"I'm formally here because women are being treated like animals. There are men sitting behind desks making the decisions that are wrong," Karen Reed, a pro-choice supporter, said during an Oct. 2 rally.

Gallup polling shows 32% of Americans believe abortion should be legal under any circumstances, 48% believe it should be legal under certain circumstances and 19% believe it should be illegal in all circumstances.

Edwards is “ecstatic” that so many young people are mobilizing, noting that Roe v. Wade has been intact their entire lives.

“The fact that that is now in jeopardy and body autonomy is in jeopardy, we're really hoping to wake up and pass the baton because this affects everyone,” she said. “We’re hoping to really wake up our community. We’re hoping to really have them understand women’s empowerment. Women's issues are everyone's issues.”

Nationwide, hundreds of thousands of people are expected to turn out at more than two hundred events in all 50 states. Major events are planned in New York City, Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington, DC.

“We're really concerned, and women are really concerned and our male allies, and that's the beautiful thing about this Saturday,” Edwards said. “We have women and male allies, and we have transgender (people). We have gay, straight, Christian, Muslim (people). Everyone will be represented this Saturday.”

Contact reporter Danielle Johnson at djohnson@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Peaceful rally for abortion rights planned in Ocala, Florida