MANSFIELD – The “We won’t back down: Peaceful gathering” and “Women’s Rights Rally'' joined forces Saturday in Mansfield to make their voices heard on the side of Pro Choice.
A group of approximately 60 men, women and children rallied with signs and chants to protest the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last month to overturn the 49-year-old Roe vs. Wade ruling. The result moves the question of abortion back to the individual states.
Ashley McLaughlin, president of Richland County Young Democrats, helped organize the event and led most of the chants throughout the day.
McLaughlin, who said she was heartbroken and sobbed when Roe vs. Wade was overturned, pointed to the day as the community’s chance to support a fundamental right for women.
“We believe that reproductive rights should be enacted for all,” McLaughlin said. “We believe that it’s the choice between the physician and the woman herself or whoever else it is.
Whether it’s someone from the LGBTQ community, able-bodied people, disabled-bodied people, black people and other minorities. We want to be able to be inclusive for all and we can’t keep going forward as a society if we’re not all together.”
After a short address to the community members present at the event, McLaughlin and Gerald Vega, chairman of the Mansfield committee for community safety, took to the sidewalks to chant.
“O-H-I-O abortion bans have got to go!”
“Abortion is our right, we won’t give up this fight!”
“Pro what? Pro choice!”
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Vega said the event was important to raise awareness for the dangers that come with making abortions illegal. As someone committed to the safety of the community, Vega said the recent changes in legislation directly harm community members.
“These pro-lifers claim that they’re for life, but endanger the lives of women with these harsh bills,” Vega said. “It’s disgusting. It's taking away liberty. It’s taking away rights. It’s just horrifying.”
Alayna Heltz attended the event with her sister Alexiss Owens. Heltz said even though the event was intimidating for her as a person with social anxiety, she felt it necessary to come and show her support.
“Someone has to speak out about it,” Heltz said. “With everything going on we can’t stay silent.
"I think the biggest part of wanting to put this together was to just have everyone come together. We’re talking about women’s rights, but most importantly, I wanted to see the men out here supporting the women too … It's nice to have everyone out here like boyfriends, girlfriends, wives, husbands, all together fighting for the same thing.”
One of the men in attendance was Stephen O’Saben, who was with his wife Megan and their young daughter who was being wheeled around in a red wagon.
While waving his home-made sign in the air, Stephen said he was ultimately at the event for his daughter, so that she hopefully will not have to fight for the issue when she grows up.
“I think it’s really important to get people of all walks of life out here,” Stephen said. “I think it's important to have women’s voices heard, you know, I’m here to support, but I don't have a uterus but I’m here to support the people in my life I love who do.”
Also holding up a sign, Megan proudly said she is grateful to have a husband who cares about the topic and is willing to show his support.
“We definitely want to send a message not only to the city government, but to the state of Ohio that enough is enough," Vega said. "We didn’t consent to this.”
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