Tampa rallies in support of abortion rights
Tampa, FL – On June 25, over 300 people gathered on the corner of a busy intersection near the University of South Florida to protest the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. The crowd, led by Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Tampa Bay Community Action Committee (TBCAC), march along the street and were met with strong support from commuters passing by.
“It terrified me that the right to bodily autonomy would no longer be a right,” said Laura Rodriguez of TBCAC. “Getting on birth control no longer felt like a choice.”
Florida has a trigger law, House Bill 5 (HB5), that will criminalize all abortions past 15 weeks. “People will have less than two missed periods to figure out that they’re pregnant,” said Rodriguez. “And cough up hundreds of dollars, get time off of work, and somehow still have enough money to pay a rising rent.”
“The government that is supposed to represent us is going against what the majority of people want,” said Victoria Hinckley of SDS, referring to the overwhelming popular support for legalized abortion in the U.S.
Since the Supreme Court decision was made public, hundreds in the Tampa Bay area have taken to the streets in numerous protests. They will continue to, as evidenced by the multiple protests scheduled in the near future.
Tampa Bay SDS and TBCAC will be rallying once again on Saturday, July 2, at Curtis Hixon Park at 6 p.m.