Hundreds rally for abortion access, reproductive rights in downtown Battle Creek
In the summer of 1986, Kathy Szenda Wilson found herself unexpectedly pregnant.
She was only 17, struggling to figure out her own place in an increasingly complicated world — and she couldn't fathom trying to figure it out for two.
She ultimately decided to get an abortion, a choice that, at the time, was protected by the U.S. Constitution because of the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade.
"I had no regrets in my decision. I knew it was the right decision for myself," said Szenda Wilson, who represents Ward 4 on the Battle Creek City Commission. "But never did I imagine that it would be in jeopardy, and that’s on me. How wrong I was."
Szenda Wilson was one of about 200 people protesting for abortion access and reproductive rights Saturday at the Sojourner Truth Monument in downtown Battle Creek.
The peaceful gathering was the latest public outcry in the wake of U.S. Supreme Court's decision June 24 to overturn Roe v. Wade, opening the door for enforcement of Michigan's 1931 abortion ban law.
Michigan Court of Claims Judge Elizabeth Gleicher issued an injunction against the 1931 law in May following a lawsuit from Planned Parenthood of Michigan. The court-ordered injunction currently is the only measure keeping abortion legal in the state following the U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Organizers of a ballot initiative to enshrine the right to an abortion in Michigan's Constitution have subsequently said they are on track to put the measure before voters this November.
The Reproductive Freedom for All amendment proposes a new and general right to reproductive freedom, including the right to access abortions and birth control without political interference.
"All abortions are needed abortions," Szenda Wilson told the crowd Saturday. "You shouldn’t have to be sick or dying or prove you have a good reason. Not wanting to be pregnant is all the reason you need. You should not have to be forced to (bear a child)."
People gathered in the park Saturday hoisted signs with the messages "Mind your own uterus," "Abortion is healthcare" and "Girls just want to have fundamental rights," among others.
Speakers also led the crowd in a variety of chants throughout the afternoon, including "Hands off our bodies" and "My body, my choice."
"Do you feel the energy in this space? It feels like Sojourner Truth herself is here with us," Battle Creek At-Large City Commissioner Lynn Ward Gray said. "This is not sitting well with America. We are not having it.
"This isn’t the first action against women and it won’t be the last," she continued. "How we rise up together, together, together, will be our defining moment in history."
Ward Gray urged the crowd to turn its motivation into action by writing letters and calling elected officials, as well as voting in upcoming elections.
Members of the League of Women Voters were on hand Saturday to assist residents in registering to vote.
"Make sure you get out and vote, make sure you’re talking to your representatives," protest co-organizer Kayla McCarthy said. "You need to be involved. You cannot sit and be complacent."
Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-501-5661. Follow him on Twitter: G_SteeleBC
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Abortion rights, reproductive rights focus on Battle Creek rally
