Iowa abortion-rights groups call for voting, donations following overturn of Roe v. Wade

Weeks after a pair of court decisions paved the way for tighter abortion restrictions in Iowa, thousands of protesters gathered at the state Capitol Sunday.

Demonstrators hoisted signs in the air — "Bans off our bodies," and "My body, my choice." A large, papier-mâché puppet of the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg floated In the middle of the crowd.

Nearly a dozen abortion-rights groups organized the event together, including Planned Parenthood, the Iowa Abortion Access Fund and the Emma Goldman Clinic.

More: How are Iowa abortion laws affected by the U.S. Supreme Court's overturn of Roe v. Wade?

Speakers encouraged attendees of the event to vote for candidates who support abortion access, donate to aid organizations that help women pay for abortions and to discuss the issue with their communities.

"Change will not happen unless we take responsibility for it," said Becca Eastwood, advocacy campaign manager with the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa.

Most abortions are still legal in Iowa, even after the U.S. Supreme Court and the Iowa Supreme Court handed down rulings championed by anti-abortion advocates. But Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds is leading the charge to prohibit abortions far sooner in a pregnancy.

More: With Roe v. Wade overturned, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds vows to protect 'every unborn Iowan'

Sunday's diverse lineup of speakers framed the fight for abortion rights as part of a larger, more complex web of other social issues, including mass incarceration and racism.

Sikowis Nobiss, founder of the Great Plains Action Society, argued that abortion access was already unequal before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

“I know everybody sees this as some Handmaid’s Tale story,” she said “But just think about it. Think about the Black and Indigenous and migrant women that have been living that.”

‘My daughters need access to abortion care’: Protesters focus on future generations

Many of the protestors in front of Iowa’s Capitol on Sunday said they were inspired to come out and support women in Iowa and across the country.

Kim Callahan, 52, works at the Center for Social Ministry, a West Des Moines nonprofit. She said she was inspired to attend the rally to support her daughters.

“While abortion access may not be impactful to me personally because I’m not of child-bearing age anymore, my daughters need access to abortion care,” she said. “I am here for them and for all of the young people everywhere who could be pregnant.”

Despite feelings of anger and fear in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, many protesters expressed feeling empowered and supported by the large turnout.

“More than one person thinks that this is actually a problem,” said Nina Christiansen, a 12-year-old Des Moines Public Schools student.

Her mother, Trish Christiansen, a teacher in the Des Moines Public School system, expressed a similar sentiment, highlighting how the rally served as an important learning opportunity for both her and her children.

“As a brown woman with brown children, I really think it is important to educate them and to show them how people express themselves in the community,” she said.

Lila Thomas, a volunteer at the Corridor Community Action Network from Iowa City, said the rally should serve as a starting off point for further advocacy. As a transgender woman, Thomas said issues of reproductive rights are closely tied to access to gender-affirming health care.

“If they start taking away people’s rights to their bodies, that’s next on the list,” she said.

As a result, Thomas said she hopes to see continued calls for advocacy.

“The pressure needs to stay on to make any meaningful change,” she said, “We can’t just have a rally getting together and cheering, we need to keep going.”

Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com or at 410-340-3440. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin.

Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter for the Register. She can be reached at fblock@registermedia.com or on Twitter @FrancescaBlock3.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Abortion in Iowa: Des Moines protest calls for voting, aid support