As Right to Life of Michigan is moving full speed ahead with a petition drive to ban the standard dilation and evacuation abortion procedure, reproductive rights advocates are holding a rally on Tuesday in Ann Arbor.
Former Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards is slated to headline the event starting at 5:30 p.m. on the Diag at the University of Michigan. Richards, who stepped down in 2018, has co-founded a new political action group, Supermajority, dedicated to advocating for a women’s agenda in the 2020 agenda.
“Women ran for office in record numbers. Women voted in record numbers. And women won office in record numbers. The pink wave didn’t stop on Election Day, and we are going to show our lawmakers — again — that our rights are not up for debate,” said Ashlea Phenicie, digital communications and organizing manager for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan.
Michigan is one of several states where Republicans are pushing abortion restrictions, including Georgia, Ohio, Missouri and Alabama, which just enacted a total ban. Anti-abortion activists are trying to get the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.
There are events in seven Michigan cities scheduled so far part of a national day of action called “Stop the Bans.” Other rallies are slated for Ludington, Jackson, Houghton, Kalamazoo, Port Huron and Marquette.
The day of action is sponsored by All* Above All Action Fund, ACLU, EMILY’s List, Indivisible, MoveOn, NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, UltraViolet and Women’s March. Events are scheduled in almost every state the country.
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