Fort Smith community rallies in support of abortion rights in wake of SCOTUS Roe v Wade leak

About 75 Fort Smith residents took part in a demonstration supporting the right to an abortion Saturday, joining protests all over the country.

Young and old, male and female, cis-gendered and transgendered gathered to defend the pro-choice movement. They started at the Sebastian County Courthouse and later walked to Garrison Avenue.

Angela Nevel holds a sign supporting the pro-choice movement on Garrison Avenue.
Angela Nevel holds a sign supporting the pro-choice movement on Garrison Avenue.

Caitlin Cranford, Jennifer Roller and Terrie Davis organized this rally and the one in October.

People walk to Garrison Avenue, chanting "ho ho hey hey women’s rights are here to stay."
People walk to Garrison Avenue, chanting "ho ho hey hey women’s rights are here to stay."

Davis said that after Politico released a leaked Supreme Court opinion that indicated the justices are planning to overturn Roe v. Wade, she was inundated with requests to march for the right to choose.

Several women joined the protest because they are sexual assault survivors and want to defend rape survivors' decisions to get abortions.

Women hold their pro-choice signs.
Women hold their pro-choice signs.

“I’m here because I am a survivor of sexual, and it’s just important to fight for our rights because if a girl was to be assaulted and got pregnant I think it’s important that she would be able to get an abortion," Kylee Grazier said.

Her friend Leanna Johnson agreed.

Women hold their pro-choice signs.
Women hold their pro-choice signs.

“I’m here because I’m also a survivor of sexual assault, and I also just think that it shouldn’t be anybody else’s place to tell anybody else what they can and can’t do with their body," Johnson said.

Liz Smith said that if she had gotten pregnant after she was raped at 19, she would have killed herself if she had had to carry the baby to term.

Smith supports the right to choose and attended the rally “because I think we’re taking a step backwards, taking away women’s rights."

Roller said that she helped organize the protest because she wants people to pay attention to the issue.

People gather in front of the Sebastian County Courthouse to demonstrate for abortions.
People gather in front of the Sebastian County Courthouse to demonstrate for abortions.

“This entire situation is just an example of the double, triple, quadruple standard of how we handle human rights in this country," Mitch McDonald said.

He pointed out that politicians do not dictate when men get vasectomies or when they masturbate.

“I’m a little surprised that I’m here because we shouldn’t be having this conversation in 2022," Cynthia Leonard said. She later added, “Since the '70s, we fought so hard for this right if we don’t stand up now we might never get it back.'

Eve Adams, a trans woman, plans to get a uterine transplant, and the impending Supreme Court decision that could undo Roe v. Wade, would make it harder for her to get an abortion if she was to need one in the future.

Adams was in the foster care system because her mother did not have an abortion and said it was a horrible experience. She supports the right of anyone to get an abortion.

“I feel like I should be here today to fight that," Adams said about the potential for abortions to become more difficult to obtain.

Aaron Ray, who is married and has a daughter, said humans deserve to have equal rights to their bodies.

“I don’t think there should be old men deciding what women should do with their bodies," Ray said.

Alex Gladden is a University of Arkansas graduate. She previously reported for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and The Jonesboro Sun before joining the Times Record. She can be contacted at agladden@swtimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Fort Smith protest to support abortion rights: Roe v Wade SCTOUS leak