Protestors rallied through Balboa Park during Mother’s Day in support of abortion rights and the right to bodily autonomy.
By Cori Zaragoza, Staff Writer
In response to a leaked draft majority opinion stating that the U.S. Supreme Court intended to overturn Roe v. Wade, a ruling from 1973 that established the constitutional protection of abortion rights, locals took to Balboa Park to march in protest on Mother’s Day, May 8.
Over 300 participants were reported to have joined the march in support of abortion rights. This reflects recent statistics from the Pew Research Center that shows that 61% of adults in the United States say that abortion should be legal and support a women’s right to choose.
According to the UCSF Bixby Center, almost half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended, with Hispanic and African Americans having significantly higher rates of unintended pregnancies. Because of this, a ban on abortions would disproportionately affect African American women, especially since their maternal death rate is twice the rate of non-Hispanic White women, according to the CDC.
Despite the severe backlash around the country, the Supreme Court is still considering overturning the Roe v. Wade ruling. That backlash was on display at the Balboa Park protest as attendees held up signs saying “My Body, My Choice” and “Bans Off Our Bodies.”
This protest was just one of many rallying cries that have gone out around the United States since the Supreme Court leak. While the battle for women’s reproductive rights is still ongoing, these protests prove that there are San Diego citizens who support and will continue to fight for the right of choice and bodily autonomy.
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