Reproductive justice activists in Milwaukee rally to defend access to the abortion pill
Milwaukee, WI – On April 15, dozens of activists and supporters heeded the call of Reproductive Justice Action – Milwaukee (RJAM) to gather in protest outside the Milwaukee County Courthouse in opposition to the attacks against mifepristone, a pill used in a two-pill process to have an abortion without surgery. This was only one of many protests to occur since news of a decision by Matthew Kacsmaryk, a U.S. District judge based out of Amarillo, Texas, to suspend the FDA approval of the medication.
“These anti-choice politicians are spreading blatant lies about the safety of a medication that has been scientifically proven to be safer than Viagra, birth control, or pregnancy. But we know that it’s not about safety at all; it’s about trying to control people’s bodies,” said Carly Klein of RJAM. “Today we say enough is enough. We want access to abortion, and we want it now!”
Throughout the course of the rally, people chanted slogans like “All power to the people!” and “My body, my choice!” The location of the rally outside the courthouse was chosen by RJAM because District Attorney John Chisholm is the target of their on-going campaign to make Milwaukee an abortion sanctuary.
“76% of Milwaukee County residents made clear their support when they voted ‘Yes’ to having access to safe and legal abortion in this past election. We won’t stop fighting for legal protections for abortion in our county until DA Chisholm signs on the dotted line!” said Klein, referring to the current struggle for the DA to sign on to a pledge to not prosecute people receiving and providing abortions in Milwaukee County.
Other organizations that turned out to support the action included the community powerhouse Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).
“The history and continuation of policing pregnant people, abortion providers, and their supporters will be resolved through grassroots actions,” said Lo Cross, one of the co-chairs of the Milwaukee Alliance. “We’re protecting any way that working class people are able to make decisions about their own bodies. The officials of this county need to show us through their actions that they are here to protect the most vulnerable.”
“People are dying at the hands of a few politicians. We will not sit back and watch while our bodily autonomy is stripped away. We know this is another attempt to push forward the reactionary agenda and we will not stand for this,” said Lauren Forbush, a leader with RJAM and a member of FRSO. “We cannot have full reproductive justice without socialism. We will fight for socialism, but we must win everything we can along the way. We will continue showing up and fighting back to win a better world for all of us!”