Protestors gather at Beaver County Courthouse to advocate for abortion rights
BEAVER — As the nation debates the legality of abortion rights in the United States, community members in Beaver County made their voices heard at the courthouse on Thursday night.
Led by the Democratic Committee of Beaver County, protestors of all ages gathered to discuss the need for legal abortions in Pennsylvania and encourage voters to consider these issues in upcoming elections. Speakers at the event advocated for politicians and policies that will protect women's reproductive rights, which could come under legal challenges if Roe v. Wade is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
"It's important to be here today because the leaked Supreme Court memo states that they're going to be looking to overturn Roe v. Wade," said Maria Smalley, president for the Beaver County Young Democrats. "Here in Pennsylvania for several years, the only thing stopping us from turning into Texas, where women do not have access to a safe abortion, has been vetos by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf. If the Republican governor wins this November, we can look to becoming another state where you cannot get an abortion safely."
More:Overturning Roe v. Wade could mean big changes for Pa. next year
Covering the steps of the courthouse with colorful signs calling for the protection of abortion rights, community members listened attentively as local women shared their own personal experiences with abortion. Each speaker drew attention to the dangers of certain pregnancies and the potential hazards that removing abortion protections will have for women in lower economic conditions, leading to an underground "abortion railroad."
By showing public support for protecting abortion rights, the protestors hope to show Pennsylvania's politicians that this issue continues to be an important debate.
"We don't want our representatives to become confused, we want them to know we are here," Smalley said. "We are loud and we are not backing down, never again. We are not going back to a time when women died from unsafe abortions. Banning them will not stop them from happening, they will just stop them from being safe and with a doctor."
Similar protests have occurred across the United States after the leaked draft of a possible Supreme Court decision to overturn the historic verdict of the 1973 Roe v. Wade case, which protected the legal right for abortions. While the draft of the decision is not final, it has reignited the abortion debate in the United States and prompted those with strong opinions in both directions to speak out on the issue.
More:Supreme Court verifies authenticity of leaked opinion in abortion case but says decision not final
Valerie Klauscher, a protestor from Crescent Township, said that the new opinion from the Supreme Court goes against the legacy of former justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and the judge would have been "devastated by them removing all her hard work."
By joining the protest at the courthouse, she hoped to show that there are women in Beaver County who are invested in protecting abortion rights and have a different mindset than some assume about the region.
"There's a tendency to think that everyone in Beaver County is a conservative," Klauscher said.
For some protestors, the fight to protect abortion rights and provide access to birth control in the country has been an ongoing battle for decades. While the battle still continues in politics, these protestors will also continue to show opposition to taking away these rights.
"I can't believe we're having to fight this again," said Bette Densel, a protestor from Economy.
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This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Protestors call for protection of abortion rights at Beaver County Courthouse