Rep. Grace Meng speaks at a rally for reproductive rights on the steps of Queens Borough Hall Saturday (Danielle Brecker via Twitter)
Oct. 4, 2021 By Allie Griffin
Dozens of Queens residents rallied for reproductive rights outside Queens Borough Hall Saturday as part of a nationwide day of action for abortion justice.
The rally — and more than 600 similar protests across the country — was organized in response to the recent Texas law that effectively bans all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, earlier than when most women know they’re pregnant.
Queens residents Danielle Brecker and Melissa Bair hosted the rally and several elected officials and women’s health advocates spoke on the steps of borough hall.
They started the rally off with a moment of silence for every person who had lost their life from an unsafe abortion.
One speaker at the rally, women’s healthcare advocate and OB/GYN Dr. Heather Irobunda, said without safe and legal abortion care, more women’s lives will be lost.
“Access to abortion care is an essential tenet of reproductive justice,” she said. “If we don’t speak up to protect access, we are endangering lives.”
Other speakers included Rep. Grace Meng, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas, State Sen. Michael Gianaris, Deputy Queens Borough President Rhonda Binda, Council candidates Lynn Schulman and Julie Won and activist Zephyr Teachout.
Rep. Meng said she stands with everyone across the country fighting for reproductive freedom.
“With reproductive rights under attack in our country, it is more important than ever to do all we can to protect them,” she said. “The Texas law, and other barriers that threaten the right to choose, are devastating for so many women and families… All people deserve to make their own healthcare decisions.”
Her colleague, Rep. Carolyn Maloney said she has witnessed attacks against abortion rights increase in recent years, with the worst of them happening now.
“2021 is on pace to break the record for the number of state-level abortion restrictions passed into law,” Maloney said. “They are not just chipping away at our rights — they are bulldozing right through them.”
She said supporters must fight to keep abortions safe and legal.
“For many people, abortion means freedom — freedom to control our bodies and our futures,” she said. “We must act now to protect this fundamental right before it is too late.”
Another speaker, Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas, has been a longtime advocate for reproductive rights. Before being elected to the State Assembly, she served as the executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice.
“As a national reproductive justice advocate, I know that the fight for access to abortion in Texas is our fight here in New York State too,” González-Rojas said. “[Texas law] SB8 is only one of many examples of legislation that has been introduced and some that have passed that seeks to rob a person’s bodily autonomy. We must resist these efforts everywhere.”
The fight for abortion justice is the fight for racial, gender, and economic justice.
Texas – you are not alone! We will keep fighting for the rights of people who give birth and we will be free! #AbortionJustice #BansOffOurBodies pic.twitter.com/INiE7AssoI
— Jessica González-Rojas (@votejgr) October 2, 2021
The Queens rally-goers were among thousands of Americans who participated in more than 660 rallies across the country Saturday in response to the recent Texas abortion law — the most restrictive in the country. The nationwide effort was spearheaded by the Women’s March organizers.
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14 Comments
Hogwash.
Why can’t women write off their unborn fetuses as dependents on their taxes? They’re no different than babies right?
My question is, what if you were aborted? Doubtful you’d like it.
Giannaris is at every progressive rally. He is working hard not to be voted out by the strong and growing progressive party in WQ.
Numbers 5:19-22
Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you and you have not gone astray and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you. 20 But if you have gone astray while married to your husband and you have made yourself impure by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband”— 21 here the priest is to put the woman under this curse—“may the LORD cause you to become a curse among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell. 22 May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries.” “ ‘Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.”
“And the infant, John the Baptist, jumped in his mother’s womb when he was presented to Mary and Jesus.” No, abortion is not approved in the Bible.
Not true – In Numbers. 5:19 it obviously is. Hahaha It’s not all rainbows and unicorns. Grow up!
why is this called reproductive rights? it should be called termination of life rights. this is just a marketing & naming campaign to soften the image of what it really is.
Feel free to reproduce
Nobody is stopping you
Nice to see how many people support the taking of innocent life
Greek Orthodox Church please kick out gianaris
If you need people to protest call 1-800-PROTEST. We provide enthusiastic loud protesters and we’ll bring signs. Whatever your issue Rikers Island, Filipino suffering, Black Lives Matter, reproductive rights, Palestinian statehood. We’re here for you. We put people to work!
Abortion rights are important, but you also have to remember that abortion is killing an unborn baby.
You- Feel free to adopt an unwanted child before he grows into an incarcerated angry adult.
I have adopted several children! Now, what do you do to help people?
What’s that got to do with it? I’m just stating what it is.