Abortion rights rally planned in Modesto, part of national day opposing Roe reversal
Abortion rights supporters will rally in Modesto on Saturday as part of a national day of action against the U.S. Supreme Court’s anticipated decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade.
The Bans Off Our Bodies rally in front of Modesto’s Planned Parenthood on McHenry Avenue will be one of hundreds of events planned across the county. The Stanislaus County event is being co-sponsored by Indivisible Stanislaus, Stanislaus County Commission for Women and Planned Parenthood Mar Monte.
Earlier this month, a draft of a pending Supreme Court decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade, the signature 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationally, was leaked. The news has sparked debate and protest, as the nearly 50-year-old court precedent legalizing abortion federally is expected to be ended with an official ruling released by this summer.
If the draft becomes official, 13 states are poised to ban abortion through so-called “trigger laws” that would go into effect once the decision is overturned. Overall, an estimated 25 or 26 states total would be expected to ban abortions within their borders.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been a vocal critic of the decision and has pushed to strengthen abortion rights and access across the state in the wake of the news. The state Legislature has introduced more than a dozen bills to expand and and enhance abortion access.
Indivisible Stanislaus organizer Lise Talbott, who is also a Waterford city councilwoman, said the Modesto rally is to show support for abortion rights not just in the state, but all over the country and particularly places where access will be restricted.
“(These) rights are really at risk for more than half the states. We want to encourage people to take action. We have a lot of women who have been fighting this fight for decades,” she said.
The national Bans Off Our Bodies day of action has been planned by progressive and labor groups including Planned Parenthood, MoveOn, NARAL, Women’s March and the SEIU union.
The Modesto Bans Off Our Bodies rally, at 1431 McHenry Ave., will run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. For more information, visit www.bansoff.org.
This story was originally published May 12, 2022 at 12:42 PM.
