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Hundreds of activists rally outside Supreme Court for key abortion case Hundreds of activists rally outside Supreme Court for key abortion case
(about 1 hour later)
Even before the oral arguments began Wednesday inside the U.S. Supreme Court, crowds of abortion rights supporters and opponents from across the country gathered outside for what is considered the most significant abortion case to reach the high court in decades.Even before the oral arguments began Wednesday inside the U.S. Supreme Court, crowds of abortion rights supporters and opponents from across the country gathered outside for what is considered the most significant abortion case to reach the high court in decades.
The signs on display outside the court showed the divided feelings.The signs on display outside the court showed the divided feelings.
“Life counts,” one read. Another said, “I am a pro-life feminist,” and another read, “My body, my choice.” Yet another read, “There’s nothing pro-life about anti-choice.” Another: “Menopausal women nostalgic for choice.”“Life counts,” one read. Another said, “I am a pro-life feminist,” and another read, “My body, my choice.” Yet another read, “There’s nothing pro-life about anti-choice.” Another: “Menopausal women nostalgic for choice.”
And there were even divisions by color. Abortion rights supporters wore purple, and abortion opponents wore blue. Both sides were making speeches and at times drowned each other out. And there were divisions by color. Abortion rights supporters wore purple, and abortion opponents wore blue. Both sides were making speeches and at times drowned each other out.
The crowds reflected what’s at stake in the case, Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt , which challenges Texas’s stringent regulations on abortion clinics. Lawmakers argue that the restrictions, passed by the Texas legislature in 2013, protect women’s health. Abortion providers say in reality they cause clinics to close and make it unduly difficult for women to obtain abortions, a constitutional right.The crowds reflected what’s at stake in the case, Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt , which challenges Texas’s stringent regulations on abortion clinics. Lawmakers argue that the restrictions, passed by the Texas legislature in 2013, protect women’s health. Abortion providers say in reality they cause clinics to close and make it unduly difficult for women to obtain abortions, a constitutional right.
[Supreme Court to hear arguments on Texas abortion-clinics case][Supreme Court to hear arguments on Texas abortion-clinics case]
In the past five years, states have passed more than 250 restrictions on abortion.In the past five years, states have passed more than 250 restrictions on abortion.
Some of those who came had lined up earlier in the week, camping outside to secure a seat for the oral arguments. Others had no intention of going inside but simply wanted to participate in the scene around the iconic white pillars, including the rallies by antiabortion activists and abortion rights advocates.Some of those who came had lined up earlier in the week, camping outside to secure a seat for the oral arguments. Others had no intention of going inside but simply wanted to participate in the scene around the iconic white pillars, including the rallies by antiabortion activists and abortion rights advocates.
“I’m a uterus,” Jessie Sebbo shouted as she stood in the crowd, wearing a pink silk costume. “And I’m here to say thank you!”“I’m a uterus,” Jessie Sebbo shouted as she stood in the crowd, wearing a pink silk costume. “And I’m here to say thank you!”
“They are here to fight for my right to do whatever I choose to do,” said Sebbo, 34, of Atlanta. “I’m a complicated organ. Sometimes things happen that I don’t want to happen.”“They are here to fight for my right to do whatever I choose to do,” said Sebbo, 34, of Atlanta. “I’m a complicated organ. Sometimes things happen that I don’t want to happen.”
Sebbo said her husband made her costume and that it’s anatomically correct down to purple gloves that represent fallopian tubes. But she modified it a bit to be able to give hugs.Sebbo said her husband made her costume and that it’s anatomically correct down to purple gloves that represent fallopian tubes. But she modified it a bit to be able to give hugs.
“I want to give out plenty of hugs,” she said. “I’m hugging pro-lifers too because I think we need to share a little more love and understanding.”“I want to give out plenty of hugs,” she said. “I’m hugging pro-lifers too because I think we need to share a little more love and understanding.”
As she walked through the crowd people stopped her to take pictures. “Thank you for being here for me!” she shouted.As she walked through the crowd people stopped her to take pictures. “Thank you for being here for me!” she shouted.
Amid chants, shouts and loud speeches from two podiums, one group stood quietly in the crowd, strips of red duct tape over their mouths. They were praying, not protesting, they said. Amid the chants and speeches, one group stood quietly in the crowd, strips of red duct tape over their mouths. They were praying, not protesting, they said.
Matt Lockett said members of his group, Bound 4 Life, have stood outside the Supreme Court for the last 11 years. Sometimes it’s two people, sometimes 100.Matt Lockett said members of his group, Bound 4 Life, have stood outside the Supreme Court for the last 11 years. Sometimes it’s two people, sometimes 100.
“We’ve been especially praying over the Texas case for two and a half years,” he said. “We’ll continue praying all the way until a decision is reached.”“We’ve been especially praying over the Texas case for two and a half years,” he said. “We’ll continue praying all the way until a decision is reached.”
Another activist in the crowd was Kate Londen. She rode Metro to the Supreme Court carrying five rolled up signs made at a party the night before. On them were references to the “notorious RBG” — a reference to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg — and various emoji, made by students who feel invested in the first major abortion case of their generation. Dee Kalman held a black sign with white letters that read, “I regret my abortion.”
“This is a historic day,” she said. “This case is so important. It’s going to affect Texas, and it has the chance to affect the whole country.” She had five abortions in the 1970s, she said. “I didn’t want them but I was too young to figure that out,” said Kalman, 64, who lives in Northern Virginia. “I lived in a state of self-denial for decades.”
A rally was to be held by abortion opponents with more than 20 speakers who are expected to talk not only on unborn children but also what they see as the intent of the Texas legislation, said Kristina Hernandez of Students for Life of America, which is organizing the event. Next to her was Nancy Tanner, 64, who also carried a sign and a story of a regretted abortion. Hers was in 1984 at a Planned Parenthood facility. She said she is affiliated with an awareness campaign that has collected the stories of 17,000 women who have regrets, some who suffered infections and hysterectomies as a result.
“I think common sense minimum standards are really important,” Tanner said.
Kristina Hernandez, a member of Students for Life of America, which is organizing the event, echoed that sentiment, arguing that’s the intent of the Texas legislation.
“This truly is about protecting women,” she said.“This truly is about protecting women,” she said.
A group of women stood on the sidewalk in front of the Supreme Court and held up a hand-sewn quilt. On it were 300,000 stitches sewn by women from 34 states and six countries. Not to a group of women holding up a hand-sewn quilt. On it were 300,000 stitches sewn by women from 34 states and six countries.
Artist Chi Nguyen said the goal is to fill it with 5.4 million stitches, one for each woman of reproductive age in Texas. She grew up in Vietnam until she was 13 and said abortion “is not talked about at all.” Artist Chi Nguyen, who grew up in Vietnam until she was 13, said the goal is to fill the quilt with 5.4 million stitches, one for each woman of reproductive age in Texas.
“Growing up in Vietnam, I didn’t have a lot of understanding of what it meant to have control of my body,” she said.
“We can’t go back to the time when we didn’t have abortion access,” she said.“We can’t go back to the time when we didn’t have abortion access,” she said.
Abortion rights supporters Kate Banfield and Heather Hardy said they spent Monday night in fold-out chairs in front of the court to secure their prime spots in line — Nos. 13 and 14.Abortion rights supporters Kate Banfield and Heather Hardy said they spent Monday night in fold-out chairs in front of the court to secure their prime spots in line — Nos. 13 and 14.
“I feel really strongly we all need to be doing something to try and bring change, and you can’t bring change if you just sit at home,” said Banfield, 48, a mother of three who lives in San Francisco.“I feel really strongly we all need to be doing something to try and bring change, and you can’t bring change if you just sit at home,” said Banfield, 48, a mother of three who lives in San Francisco.
She was also one of the many women who chose to describe her abortion in the “friends of the court” briefs for the case. “Coming felt like the right thing, and now that I’m here I know it’s the right thing.”She was also one of the many women who chose to describe her abortion in the “friends of the court” briefs for the case. “Coming felt like the right thing, and now that I’m here I know it’s the right thing.”
Jessica González-Rojas, the executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, arrived from New York on Tuesday. She was one of the speakers at the rally for abortion rights. Jessica González-Rojas, the executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health,spoke at the rally for abortion rights.
“It’s critical to be here,” she said. “This case has both national implications and real implications for Latinas in Texas.”“It’s critical to be here,” she said. “This case has both national implications and real implications for Latinas in Texas.”
González-Rojas said the majority of women of reproductive age in the state are Latina. The majority of women of reproductive age in the state are Latina, González-Rojas said.
[Arguments in Supreme Court abortion case pitched to audience of one][Arguments in Supreme Court abortion case pitched to audience of one]
Among the 35 people scheduled to speak in favor of abortion rights are politicians, faith leaders and women who have had abortions. Marva Sadler, who traveled to Washington from San Antonio, also felt called to be present. As director of clinical services for Whole Woman’s Health, which is the lead counsel in the case, she said she was in Texas the day the law went into effect and saw clinics close overnight.
Marva Sadler, who traveled to Washington from San Antonio, said there was no way she was going to miss the historic moment. As director of clinical services for Whole Woman’s Health, which is the lead counsel in the case, she said she was in Texas the day the law went into effect and saw clinics close overnight.
“There is no way I could not see this through,” she said. “I’ve been through this entire fight and I will see it through to the end.”“There is no way I could not see this through,” she said. “I’ve been through this entire fight and I will see it through to the end.”
Dana Hedgpeth contributed to this report.Dana Hedgpeth contributed to this report.