Content Warning: Rape, assault
Yesterday, hundreds of thousands of Americans demonstrated for reproductive justice. In light of the leaked draft opinion of the Supreme Court to cancel Raw vs. Wade There were more than 380 marches planned across the country.
A day before the protests, Planned Parenthood published an announcement in The New York Times Share Bans Off Our Bodies petition, signed by over 160 musicians, actors, and artists like Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Billie Eich, Megan Thee Stallion, Halsey, Phoebe Bridgers, Miley Cyrus, Hailey Bieber, to name a few.
On May 14, celebrities marched in solidarity with pro-choice protesters and reproductive justice activists.
In New York, Julia Louis-Dreyfus raised a banner citing her vice president The character that reads, “If men get pregnant, you can have an abortion at an ATM” – Me”
In Los Angeles, Padma Lakshmi, Christy Turlington Burns, and Laura Dern walked holding handcrafted banners. “Today we march for reproductive freedom and justice,” Lakshmi tweeted.
Abbott Elementary Lisa Ann Walter spoke at the downtown Los Angeles rally, saying, “I can’t work in Texas anymore,” referring to the state’s anti-abortion law SB 8. “We will not resign until women’s independence is secured throughout this country.”
Attorney Gloria Allred, who has represented women against Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby and other high-profile sexual harassment and assault cases, shared her own story of not being able to obtain a legal abortion after being raped at gunpoint in the 1960s.
“I was left in the bathtub in a puddle of my blood, bleeding,” Allred said during the Los Angeles rally. “A nurse said to me, ‘I hope this teaches you a lesson. I got a lesson, but not the lesson you want. Abortion must be safe, it must be legal, it must be accessible to everyone, it must be available.'”
“I want you to vote as if your lives depended on it, because they do,” she told the audience.
Milla Jovovich took to the podium to advocate for reproductive rights.
“Now once that door is opened, the Trump-stacked Supreme Court will have the power to change the course of history by undoing every hard-earned victory for human rights over the past 50 years,” Jovovich said.
To make this procedure illegal, it will not prevent women from obtaining it. It will prevent women from having safe abortions! said the Ukrainian-born actress.
Connie Britton, Constance Wu and Ricky Lake also spoke to the audience.
Singer and actor Dove Cameron also joined the crowd of thousands of protesters. “You can’t ban abortions, you can only ban safe abortions,” Cameron’s banner wrote in sharp font.
Comedian Kathy Griffin was also in the middle of the crowd. A group of thousands of people took part – along with a police helicopter hovering overhead – during a rare period. “Los Angeles is spreading all over the city,” she captioned the video.
Cyndi Lauper also marched in Los Angeles, holding a sign that reads “Girls Only Want Fun Rights,” a reference to her famous star of the 1980s. She shared the shots with Dern and others on Instagram using the hashtag #BansOff.
“November 8th is coming and that’s when you vote and you vote for the people who represent us,” Lauber said before reminding viewers that “November 8th is coming and then you vote and you vote for the people who represent us.”
Primary elections are also fast approaching for many states, including California, home to Lauber, and conservative-leaning states like Kentucky, North Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas and Texas.
Voting in the primaries gives progressive candidates who will keep reproductive rights legal for everyone in the November ballot. Check here for when your state’s 2022 primary is.
