Marching For Abortion Rights: Alabama's Powerful Protest

On May 19, 2019, hundreds of people marched to the State Capitol in Montgomery to protest Alabama's new abortion law, which made it a felony for a doctor to perform an abortion. The law, which was signed by Governor Kay Ivey, was one of the nation's most restrictive abortion laws, banning most abortions at any stage of pregnancy. The protesters, organized by groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, and Yellowhammer Fund, carried signs and cheered speakers, with some sharing their own experiences with abortion. Similar rallies were held in other cities across Alabama, including Birmingham, Huntsville, and Mobile, with thousands of supporters in total.

The Human Life Protection Act

The Act was introduced in the Alabama House of Representatives by Terri Collins, a Republican representing Decatur, and sponsored in the Alabama Senate by Republican Clyde Chambliss. It was drafted by Eric Johnson, the president of the Alabama Pro-Life Coalition. The bill passed both chambers of the Alabama Legislature along party lines and was signed by Republican Governor Kay Ivey. Several amendments proposed by Democratic politicians to allow abortions in cases of rape and incest were rejected.

In response to the Act, hundreds of people protested at the state capitol in May 2019, and there were also rallies in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, and other cities across Alabama. Abortion rights groups such as POWER House demonstrated in the state capital, and advocacy groups within the state began receiving more donations. The Yellowhammer Fund, an abortion fund and reproductive justice organization, announced that they would "temporarily pause" certain services for the safety of their clients, supporters, and staff.

Roe v. Wade

The landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade legalized abortion nationwide. However, in the decades since, Alabama has consistently enacted legislation to restrict access to abortion. In May 2019, Alabama passed one of the nation's most restrictive abortion laws, the Human Life Protection Act, which sought to ban most abortions, with limited exceptions. This law was blocked by a federal court in October 2019, with US District Judge Myron Thompson deeming it to be in defiance of Roe v. Wade and the U.S. Constitution.

The fight over abortion rights in Alabama continued, with the state passing additional restrictive laws and abortion rights activists challenging these laws in court. In June 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, allowing Alabama's abortion ban to go into effect. This decision sparked protests across the state, with hundreds of people marching in Montgomery, Birmingham, Huntsville, and Mobile to demonstrate their opposition to the abortion ban.

The overturning of Roe v. Wade has had significant implications for abortion access in Alabama. As of June 24, 2022, abortion in Alabama became illegal except when the pregnant person's life is in danger, with no exceptions for rape or incest. The state's abortion ban has created confusion and concern, with abortion providers unsure about how to continue their work and individuals seeking abortions facing barriers to accessing care.

The fight over abortion rights in Alabama remains ongoing, with abortion rights activists continuing to advocate for reproductive freedom and challenge restrictive laws in court. The Yellowhammer Fund, an abortion fund and reproductive justice organization, has been a key player in this fight, providing financial assistance to women seeking abortions and challenging the state's abortion ban in court. The outcome of these legal battles will have significant implications for abortion access, not just in Alabama but across the nation.

Protests in Alabama

Abortion is a highly contentious issue in Alabama, with the state having some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the US. In May 2019, Alabama passed the Human Life Protection Act, which sought to ban most abortions, even in cases of rape or incest, and only allowed abortions if the mother's health was at serious risk. This law was a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalised abortion nationwide.

In response to this law, hundreds of people took to the streets of Alabama to protest and march against the abortion ban. On May 19, 2019, protests took place across the state, with rallies held in Montgomery, Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, and Muscle Shoals/Florence. The largest of these rallies was held in Montgomery, the state capital, where around 500 people marched from the State Capitol to the Hugo Black Federal Courthouse, chanting "Your body, your choice" and "Abortion is a person's right". The protests were organised by various groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, and the Yellowhammer Fund, and featured speakers who shared their own experiences with abortion.

The protests in Alabama were part of a larger movement across the US at the time, with several other states also passing restrictive abortion legislation. The protesters in Alabama were particularly concerned about the lack of exceptions for rape and incest in the state's law and the impact the law would have on low-income women and women of colour. They also highlighted the importance of abortion access as a reproductive right and a human right.

The Yellowhammer Fund, an organisation that provides financial assistance to women seeking abortions in Alabama, saw a surge in donations following the protests. The group has played an active role in opposing Alabama's abortion restrictions and has challenged the state's laws in court.

While Alabama's abortion ban was initially blocked by a federal court in 2019, it was later allowed to go into effect in 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. This led to further protests in Alabama, with abortion rights activists gathering in Birmingham, Huntsville, and Mobile to oppose the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the state's abortion ban.

Abortion rights activists

The protest in Montgomery, organised by Megan Skipper, drew a crowd of about 500 people, including activists, organisers, and regular citizens. The crowd carried signs, chanted, and cheered speakers from various organisations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, and the Yellowhammer Fund. One of the speakers shared her story as a rape victim who had an abortion. The rally also included people who had travelled from other states, such as Georgia and Mississippi, which had also passed restrictive abortion laws.

Similar protests took place in other cities across Alabama on the same day, including Birmingham, Huntsville, and Mobile. The Birmingham rally, held in Kelly Ingram Park, attracted 2,000 supporters, while the Huntsville rally in Butler Green Park was attended by 1,000 people. Mobile hosted two rallies, one in Bienville Square and the other in downtown Mobile, and a smaller rally was held in Florence, Alabama. These rallies were part of the #StoptheBans movement, a response to the new abortion law signed by Governor Ivey.

Following the overturn of Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022, abortion rights protesters again took to the streets of Alabama. They marched from the Alabama Department of Archives and History to the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery on June 26, 2022, with simultaneous protests in Birmingham, Huntsville, and Mobile. These protests were in response to the state's abortion ban, which made abortion illegal in Alabama except when necessary to protect the pregnant person's life.

Anti-abortion views

Anti-abortion movements, also known as pro-life movements, advocate against the practice of abortion and its legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as counter-movements in response to the legalization of elective abortions. Those who oppose abortion often believe that life begins at conception and, therefore, abortion is murder. They argue that abortion creates a culture in which life is disposable and that increased access to birth control, health insurance, and sexual education would make abortion unnecessary.

In the United States, the anti-abortion movement is associated with several Christian religious groups, especially the Catholic Church and evangelical churches, and is frequently allied with the Republican Party. The movement includes a variety of organizations, with no single centralized decision-making body, and there are diverse arguments and rationales for the anti-abortion stance. Some opponents of abortion allow for some permissible abortions in exceptional circumstances, such as incest, rape, severe fetal defects, or when the woman's health is at risk.

In Alabama, abortion is illegal, and the state has consistently enacted legislation aimed at restricting access to abortion. In May 2019, Alabama passed one of the nation's most restrictive abortion laws, the Human Life Protection Act, which sought to ban most abortions at any stage of pregnancy, with no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. This law was blocked by a federal court in October 2019 but went into effect in June 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

On May 19, 2019, women from Montgomery participated in an abortion rights march, the "March for Reproductive Freedom", outside the Alabama Capitol building as part of a #StoptheBans rally. Similar protests took place in Birmingham, Huntsville, and Mobile on the same day. The Birmingham rally was held in Kelly Ingram Park and had 2,000 supporters. The Huntsville rally was held in Butler Green Park and was supported by 1,000 people. Mobile hosted two rallies, one in Bienville Square and the other in downtown Mobile. A smaller rally supporting the movement was held in Florence, Alabama.

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