CHICAGO At a time when abortion rights critical to the lives of women and gender non-conforming people are under attack, a broad coalition will march at 12 noon, Saturday, March 5, to demand that the Supreme Court keep their "hands off our bodies" and uphold Roe v. Wade.
The march will be in the LGBTQ neighborhood formerly known as "Boystown" and will start in front of the LGBTQ Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St. It will stress that the loss of abortion rights is not only a severe setback for those who might become pregnant, their loss is also a major threat to many others as well.
"Those leading the attack on abortion are the same people who denounce #BlackLivesMatter and barely conceal their contempt for LGBTQ people, immigrants and refugees," said Nancy Rosenstock of Chicago For Abortion Rights. "They're the same people opposing voting rights, union rights and the social services that would begin to address the gaping inequalities in this country. That is why we call on everyone to join in the streets on March 5th."
"The right to control our own bodies is one that LGBTQ people hold dear," said longtime LGBTQ activist Andy Thayer of Chicago for Abortion Rights and the Gay Liberation Network. "After centuries of church and state attempts to sanction and control us, we know that rightwing attempts to destroy abortion rights are an existential threat to us all. If we lose the right to legal abortion, all of us will find a host of other rights soon on the chopping block. "
The Saturday, March 5th march was initiated by Chicago For Abortion Rights and is co-hosted by:
Chicago NOW
Clinic Vest Project
Freedom Road Socialist Organization-Chicago
Gay Liberation Network
Illinois Choice Action Team
Illinois Single Payer Coalition
Physicians for a National Health Program-Illinois
Party for Socialism and Liberation Chicago
Pride Without Prejudice
Radical Women-U.S.
Refuse Fascism Chicago
Reproductive Transparency Now
(list in formation).