More than 100 Homer community members gathered at the HERC Campus mid-day Saturday to rally in support of women’s reproductive rights. The demonstration was a part of the national movement “Rally for Abortion Rights,” which spurred from new abortion laws in Texas, which ban abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy, before many women even know they’re pregnant.
According to The Washington Post, more than 600 rallies were planned across the country on Saturday, including Soldotna and Anchorage.
The march began at the HERC Campus with speakers sharing testimonies about the importance of access to health care, including sex education, birth control and abortions. The group then marched to WKFL Park, holding signs in support of women’s health care rights and demanding women’s voices be heard. The crowd was met with several honking cars passing by.
Many demonstrators could be seen holding signs saying things like “I march for all women,” “Girls just want to have fundamental rights,” “Women’s rights are human rights” and “Protect Roe V. Wade.” A person dressed as a uterus even joined the marchers.
Sandy Garity, one of the event’s organizers, said the march was to bring awareness to the oppression women are continuing to face in the country when it comes to their own bodies.
“The purpose of this is to make known to defend women’s reproductive rights,” Garity said. “I think it’s needed throughout this country. This is our battle now.”
Many participants shared the same goal as Garity, to bring awareness to the ongoing fight for women’s rights.
“I can’t believe we’re still doing this,” said Terri Leman at the march. “From the time I was young, and now I’m old, we’re still fighting for the same thing. It’s ludicrous.”
Ginger Bryant said she was marching “because women need to be able to financially, spiritually and morally direct their life and do what is in their heart with their intention and plan their world and their future as they see fit, not what others want.”
During the event, a petition to uphold Roe V. Wade was available for participants to sign that will be sent to the legislature to show community support of the original ruling. The petition currently has 152 signatures.
Reach Sarah Knapp at sarah.knapp@homernews.com.
More than 100 Homer community members gathered at the HERC campus to listen to speakers discuss the importance of women’s reproductive rights before marching to WKFL Park. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/ Homer News)
A woman holds a sign demanding abortion rights for women. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/Homer News)
Demonstrators are seen marching down Pioneer Avenue to WKFL Park holding signs demanding women’s rights. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/Homer News)
A person dressed as a uterus participates in the Homer Women’s March on Saturday, Oct. 2. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/Homer News)
Terri Leman, Virginia, and Ginger Bryant marched this Saturday for the same rights they say they’ve been fighting for their entire lives: the ability for women to choose for themselves what to do with their bodies. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/Homer News)
Homer community members join together to march from the HERC Campus to WKFL Park in support of women’s reproductive rights. More than 100 people joined in on the march. (Photo by Sarah Knapp/Homer News)
