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Tallahassee SDS marches for women's and reproductive rights

By staff

SDS leads protest in defense of reproductive rights

Tallahassee, FL – On September 7, Florida State University Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a march in defense of women’s and reproductive rights, following the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. More than 40 students attended the march from the Legacy Fountain to the Integration Statue, accompanied by chants like “We won’t go back! We will fight back!”

FSU SDS joined organizations across the country for a National Day of Action to defend reproductive rights and resist attacks on bodily autonomy. People across the country recognize the necessity to continue the struggle for reproductive rights with boots on the ground action, even though the decision was overturned nearly two months ago.

FSU SDS treasurer Zeke Greenwood said, “This is an important time for students and members of the community to come together to organize and fight for what we need, because conservatives are continuing their attacks on bodily autonomy for women, trans and non-binary people.”

The overturning of Roe v Wade is just one of many recent attacks against reproductive rights and bodily autonomy. Florida, like many other states, was already in the process of restricting abortion access before the Supreme Court decision. On April 14, Governor DeSantis signed HB5 into law, which bans abortions after 15 weeks, with no exceptions for rape or incest. On September 16, West Virginia became the latest state to restrict abortion, completely banning the procedure in all but a few cases.

Alex Carson, from the Tallahassee Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) stated, “Almost two-thirds of abortions are obtained by African American, Chicano and other oppressed nationality women. Removing the right to abortion would worsen national oppression in the United States.” He continued, “The right to abortion access, like all the other rights working people in the U.S. have, was won through mass struggle. Only mass struggle will save it.”

SDS was joined by several local and student organizations, including the Tallahassee Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the Florida State Student/Farmworker Alliance (SFA), FSU Generation Action, FSU Graduate Assistants United, and the FSU College Democrats.

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