Protesters gathered for a second time this year to decry the United States Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark case Roe v. Wade at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse in Long Beach Friday evening.
Demonstrators arrived at the courthouse in droves with signs donning statements such as: “Keep your rosary off my ovaries“ and “Maybe someday women will have as many rights as guns do.”
The Supreme Court announced its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade this morning, spurring the ire of reproductive rights advocates across the country.
The general air at the protest was one of frustration and disappointment.
“If you’re anything like me today, you’re cycling through feelings of existential dread, anxiety, heartbreak and rage. This is a moment that we have all been fearing and anticipating for a long time,” said Alex Mohajer, president of the Stonewall Democratic Club. “Not only are they rolling back fundamental rights for women, for trans people, for minorities, but they are signaling that they will act with odious disregard for precedent and years of progress.”
Long Beach resident Ark Arlauskas, who organized a “Bans Off Our Bodies” protest earlier this year, told the Signal Tribune that she feels the decision was “twisted.”
“I’m upset. I think that it’s taking away fundamental human rights. People are trying to tell women what we should do with our bodies. It’s not just our choice. It’s two people. And they’re putting all the responsibility on us,” Arlauskas said. “What can we do but come out and just be with other people who agree and stand in solidarity.”
The protest was organized by LB/OC Women Rising and the Long Beach Resister Sisters, who helped organize a May protest in support of Roe V. Wade when Politico published a leaked Supreme Court’s draft decision.
In attendance at the march was State Senator Lena Gonzalez, who was joined by Councilmembers Cindy Allen, Suzie Price, Suely Saro, Daryl Supernaw and Vice Mayor Rex Richardson, all of whom made statements denouncing the Supreme Court’s decision.
“We’re not going to go back because we’re going to go forward. It’s more than just abortion rights. It’s about economic justice, racial justice, we want all of it!,” Councilmember Suely Saro said amid loud cheering from the crowd. “We don’t want piecemeal rights! We want everything! That’s what the vision should be!”
The overturning of Roe V. Wade may trigger more Supreme Court decisions that would put other rights—such as same-sex marriage and access to birth control—at risk.
“We are united by living with the tyranny of inequity. Let us be the backlash they are asking for,” said well-known Long Beach feminist Zoe Nicholson. “We are facing a life and death time. Silos of interest are no longer serving us. […] We must rescue ourselves through unity. We are united by the patriarchy’s insatiable desire to control us.”
The overturning of Roe V. Wade eliminates the federal right to abortion in all 50 states—13 of which are expected to implement abortion bans or significantly curtail abortion access, including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Arizona and Michigan, among others.
California is expected to codify the right to abortion in its state constitution through Senate Constitutional Amendment 10. Sen. Gonzalez told the crowd, in disbelief, that they “actually had to add contraceptives” to the amendment, fearing that access to birth control measures would be curtailed.
Planned Parenthood Los Angeles has been working with the State of California, Los Angeles County and the cities of Los Angeles, Long Beach and West Hollywood to prepare for this court decision and its impacts, according to a statement from the organization.
“Make no mistake: Planned Parenthood Los Angeles health centers remain open, abortion is still legal in Los Angeles and California, and we will continue to fight to ensure everyone has access to care in Los Angeles, no matter what,” said Sue Dunlap, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles.
Long Beach resident and nurse Deidre Gorospe attended the protest in a handmaid costume from the show “Handmaid’s Tale,” which depicts a totalitarian society where women are forced to be surrogates and stripped of their bodily autonomy.
She bought the costume for Halloween years ago, but said she didn’t expect that it would get so much use. She’s worn it to protests denouncing the election of Donald Trump, to Women’s Marches, Black Lives Matter protests, and now to demonstrations for reproductive rights. Gorospe said she felt “sick to her stomach” when she heard the news.
“I have provided abortion care and health care. I have worked with the homeless,” she said. “I have seen all the aspects of reproductive care and what can happen if you don’t have access to it, including injury, including unwanted children. [..] I came out because I’m horrified that my daughter doesn’t have the same rights as myself and my mother.”
Around 8 p.m., the crowd in front of the courthouse began to dissipate. Plenty of demonstrators continued to hold their signs high and cheer as cars honked their horns in solidarity.
“I can’t believe it. I cannot believe that we are here. It’s Roe v. Wade. How are they going to overturn Roe v. Wade? What is next?,” Arlaukskas said. “I’m scared. I’m scared of the direction that America is going.”
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