‘We’re going backwards.’ Hundreds rally, march in Modesto for abortion rights
Hundreds of abortion rights supporters in Modesto joined thousands across the country to take part in the national Bans Off Our Bodies rallies to protest the anticipated reversal of Roe v. Wade.
More than 200 people gathered Saturday morning in front of Planned Parenthood on McHenry Avenue to listen to speeches, chant and march for abortion rights.
Earlier this month, a draft was leaked of a pending Supreme Court decision that would overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationally. The news has sparked debate and protest as the nearly 50-year-old court precedent is expected to be ended by the justices with an official ruling released by this summer.
Participants shared what they consider to be their righteous anger at the country’s highest court, which has recently seen an ideological shift with the appointment of three conservative justices by the former administration. Many expressed outrage at the prospect of young people having fewer rights than past generations.
“I have grandchildren, and this is ridiculous,” said 71-year-old Modesto resident Debby Neuman. “We’re going backwards. I can’t believe we have to do this again.”
To the steady sound of supportive car horns, speakers discussed the pending impact if the landmark Supreme Court ruling is overturned. Thirteen states have so-called “trigger laws” that would ban abortion once the decision is reversed. A total of 25 to 26 states would then be expected to make the medical procedure illegal within their borders.
Speakers also warned of possible reversal of other rights built on the right to privacy the court used in its Roe decision, including LGBTQ marriage, interracial marriage and others.
The hundreds of Modesto abortion-rights protesters were met with less than a handful of counterprotesters. Two candidates in upcoming Valley primaries also spoke, including Assembly District 22 candidate Jessica Self and Senate District 4 candidate Tim Robertson, who discussed their support for abortion rights but did not overtly campaign for themselves.
Rally organizer Lise Talbott, who is also a Waterford city councilwoman, was pleased by the turnout, which included a mix of women, men and people of all ages, from retirees with grandchildren to young parents with children.
The latter included 24-year-old Modesto mother Kate Hagerty, who brought her 3-year-old daughter, Alectra Unruh, to the rally.
“I want to expose my daughter to this and teach her to stand up for what’s right,” she said. “I was lucky enough to have a choice with my own daughter. It’s such a big responsibility to be a parent, and to force that on someone who is not ready, it’s not going to go well.”
After the rally, the group marched to the intersection of Briggsmore and McHenry avenues, taking over all four corners, to the continued honks of many cars driving past. Organizers encouraged those in the crowd to get registered and vote in the upcoming local and midterm elections.
Participants waved homemade signs with slogans including “Here We Go Again,” “Abortion is Healthcare” and “Ruth Sent Us” — a reference to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was present as a cardboard cutout throughout the rally.
Among the participants was 65-year-old Turlock resident Dona Varin, who came dressed in the distinctive red robe and white bonnet made famous by Margaret Atwood’s 1985 dystopian novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and its more recent TV adaptation on Hulu. Varin also decked her red car with an oversize white bonnet.
“I thought this book was fiction,” she said, “but it’s not anymore.”
This story was originally published May 15, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
