On May 2, Politico reported on a leaked draft opinion from an unidentified U.S. Supreme Court clerk that suggested a majority of the court will vote to overturn the 1973 case Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion.
Since that draft opinion was leaked, rallies all over the country have formed to protest the potential reversal of Roe v. Wade.
Despite the fact that abortion is currently legal in Ohio up to 20 weeks gestation and nine abortion clinics remain open in the state, lawmakers are looking to pass more restrictive legislative in the coming months. In December, Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 157, a Republican-sponsored law that, if passed, will track failed abortions, restrict the type of physicians who can work in the ambulatory surgical facilities where abortions are conducted and prohibit doctors working with or affiliated with public medical schools in the state from being a part of abortion clinics, among other things.
Legislators also are considering the passage of multiple "trigger" bans that would immediately take effect if Roe v. Wade is overturned this summer. State Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland, sponsored Ohio's latest trigger ban that includes no exemptions for rape or incest.
This weekend, Cincinnatians will have a chance to protest the potential reversal of Roe v. Wade.On Saturday, May 14, a number of organizations — including Planned Parenthood, the Women's March, Liberate Abortion, UltraViolet, NARAL Pro-Choice America and League of Women Voters — are hosting a nationwide protest called "Bans Off Our Bodies."
The "Bans Off Our Bodies" abortion rights protest will be taking place in multiple cities throughout the country, including Cincinnati, Dayton, Cleveland and Columbus. "It is necessary to act now, all across the country, not only to demonstrate that people support abortion access, but to show that we won’t back down," reads the event's description on Planned Parenthood's website.
The protest held in Cincinnati will kick off at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday at Fountain Square (520 Vine St., Downtown). The Cincinnati protest is organized by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio.
For those planning on attending Saturday's protest, it might be helpful to comb through Amnesty International's guide on protest safety, which includes a primer on your right to protest and even what to wear while you walk through the streets.
Can't make it to the protest? Several state and national reproductive rights organizations are currently accepting donations.
More information about the protest can be found by visiting mobilize.us/ppaf.
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