From left to right: protestors Helica, Sam, & Alyssa at Saturday's rally. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

From left to right: protestors Helica, Sam, & Alyssa at Saturday's rally. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

PHOTO ESSAY: Seattle Joins Women's March for Abortion Rights

Published on:

Oct 05, 2021, 7:03 pm

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by Maile Anderson

People gathered across the nation to rally for basic abortion rights and access on Saturday, Oct. 2. In Seattle, the local chapter of the Women's March (a national group based in D.C.) held a rally at Westlake Park. The protest was a response to Texas' recent law which bans abortion after six weeks and empowers citizens to sue those who seek out or facilitate an abortion.

Though the rally was short, the message rang loud and clear: The attacks on abortion are constant, these attacks disproportionately impact BIPOC, working-class, and poor communities, and we must keep fighting back.

Various signs read "Bans off our Bodies" and "We Will Not Go Silently Back to the '50s!" Many of the signs were reminiscent of slogans from the first Women's March in 2017, which was a nationwide protest against the election of the previous president. Some at Saturday's rally have been protesting for abortion rights since the 1970s.

Photo depicting a group of female-presenting protestors carrying protest signs and wearing pink and lavender attire.

Seattle Women's March Rally for Reproductive Rights. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting members of Raging Grannies singing songs.

Members of Seattle's chapter of Raging Grannies, a nationwide group, sing songs for social and reproductive change. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting protest signs with messages protesting legislation that restricts reproductive rights.

Seattle Women's March Rally for Reproductive Rights. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting Alexis Oliver Turla speaking into a microphone.

Speaker Alexis Oliver Turla emphasized how important it is for people to decide when they want to start a family. She praised Washington State's laws protecting abortion but noted how much further the state could go to ensure access for all. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting a protest sign with a white background and black text that reads

Seattle Women's March Rally for Reproductive Rights. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting a protest sign with a white background and black text that reads

Seattle Women's March Rally for Reproductive Rights. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting Graciela Nunez speaking into a microphone at a podium, a banner that reads

Graciela Nuez led the crowd in a heated chant 'undocumented, unafraid.' She describes her activism as existing at the intersection of immigrant rights and reproductive rights and says she advocates for those 'with lived experiences of abortion and the people who unapologetically make the best decisions for themselves and their lives.' (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting a protest sign with a purple background and purple text that reads

Seattle Women's March Rally for Reproductive Rights. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting a group of protestors sitting on the jungle gym in Westlake Park carrying protest signs.

Seattle Women's March Rally for Reproductive Rights. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting Madeline Brown speaking into a microphone on a stage.

Speaker Madeline Brown shared their own experience with abortion. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting protest signs, the forefront one with a yellow background and black text that reads,

Seattle Women's March Rally for Reproductive Rights. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting a protestor carrying a sign that reads

Seattle Women's March Rally for Reproductive Rights. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting Nikkita Oliver speaking into a microphone at a podium, a banner reading

Nikkita Oliver, who is running for Seattle City Council Position 9, addresses the crowd and shares their own personal story. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting a group of protestors marching with protest signs advocating for reproductive justice.

Seattle Women's March Rally for Reproductive Rights. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting a female-presenting individual dressed as DC Comic's Superwoman.

Diana as Superwoman. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting a protest sign that reads

The Hyde Act, if approved by Congress, would prohibit coverage for abortion in 34 states and Washington D.C. to those enrolled in Medicaid. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting the back of a protestor wearing red and a red hat with a rainbow ribbon covered in social justice pins.

Seattle Women's March Rally for Reproductive Rights. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

Photo depicting a group of protestors carrying protest signs at the Rally for Reproductive Justice in Seattle

Seattle Women's March Rally for Reproductive Rights. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

📸 Featured Image: From left to right: protestors Helica, Sam, & Alyssa at Saturday's rally. (Photo: Maile Anderson)

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Before you move on to the next story …

The South Seattle Emerald™ is brought to you by Rainmakers. Rainmakers give recurring gifts at any amount. With around 1,000 Rainmakers, the Emerald™ is truly community-driven local media. Help us keep BIPOC-led media free and accessible.

If just half of our readers signed up to give $6 a month, we wouldn’t have to fundraise for the rest of the year. Small amounts make a difference.

We cannot do this work without you. Become a Rainmaker today!

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