Abortion Ban Protest at Pack Square Park
Harley Woods | October 8, 2021
Harley Woods
Isis holding a bright pink sign saying, “keep your policies off my body!”
Protesters assembled. Attendees ranged from infants and children to the elderly. Extra water, masks and a medical team were provided on the sidelines. One woman held a sign that read: “Marched for Roe v. Wade in 1973. STILL marching for Roe v. Wade in 2021.” Various signs were held high with swear words and explicit messages that abortion bans would not be accepted by the crowd.
On Saturday October 2, the Asheville Democratic Socialists of America (AVL DSA) organized a gathering at Pack Square Park to protest the ban of abortion in Texas and strict limitations in other states.
Ash, the first speaker, a reproductive justice organizer and an abortion doula, shared their thoughts on abortion and how it has influenced their life.
“I am here today as someone who funds abortion,” said Ash. “I am here today as an abortion doula who provides informational, emotional, and when given consent, physical support to people who choose abortion. I am here today as a Black, trans, abortion-haver, having funded two abortions for myself and hundreds for people all over the country. My job as an abortion doula, though, is to increase the choices for people to have trans-affirming reproductive care with no barriers.”
Additionally, Ash explained that barriers surrounding abortion include cost, 72-hour waiting periods after deciding to have an abortion and white supremacy.
“In this moment, because of those barriers, we need to rely on the preexisting networks of support and care,” said Ash. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We need to combat stigma and shame by being pro-abortion, not just pro-choice.”
Local access to abortion and abortion funds can be found at: Mountain Area Abortion Doula Collective, Blue Ridge Abortion Fund, Mountain Access Brigade and Carolina Abortion Fund.
“(The US) is the only major country on Earth that has no guaranteed paid family leave or medical leave,” said one AVL DSA co-chair. “We have some of the most expensive childcare costs in the world. Having an abortion is about fourteen times safer than going through childbirth.”
Harley Woods
Asheville Democratic Socialists of America organizer Elaine (left, in red shirt) waits to be handed the microphone by co-chair (right, in red shirt).
The AVL DSA website describes the group as a, “political, activist organization that seeks to empower working people and marginalized groups and build a more equitable society for all of us.” They host a regular online meeting and the next will be on October 27 at 7:00 PM.
The AVL DSA is devoted to providing factual information regarding access to abortion and abortion barriers across the nation. They devote their time to working with local organizations and contributing directly to the Asheville community. Many of the speakers included gender neutral terminology and mentioned struggles specific to BIPOC citizens.
After Ash, two more speakers, Jenny and Elaine, spread information about access to abortion and the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as it was promised in President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. Emotional stories followed the AVL DSA organizers speeches about first-hand experiences with abortion. Later in the afternoon, the crowd gathered together for a concluding march around the square.