MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA -- Thousands are expected to attend the #BansOffOurBodies March for Reproductive Freedom on Saturday, October 2nd from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be hosted by Women’s March Minnesota (WMM), UnRestrict Minnesota, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund and more than 25 other groups.
Marches and rallies are taking place throughout the nation in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow Texas SB 8 to go into effect. SB 8 is a law that bans abortions in Texas at approximately six weeks — before most people know they are pregnant — with no exceptions for rape or incest. Furthermore, SB 8 is different from other abortion bans because it contains a “private cause of action,” which is a legal provision that allows private individuals to enforce the law in place of the state.
The event will highlight the importance of abortion rights and urge lawmakers to protect reproductive freedom in Minnesota and repeal medically-irrelevant restrictions on abortion care, so that everyone who needs an abortion — including those traveling here from other states in the Upper Midwest — can get the care they need. A newly released “ National Red Alert” report underscores the grave risk to reproductive freedom within our region with at least 1.4 million people at risk of losing access to abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned.
"Minnesotans know that what happens in Texas will not stay in Texas, but will reach us here in spite of our strong state-level protections for abortion,” said UnRestrict Minnesota campaign manager Erin Maye Quade. “What people may not know is that, over the last several decades, anti-abortion lawmakers in our state have passed dozens of bills that severely restrict access to abortion. We’re in solidarity with Texas, and we also have our own fight here to expand access to serve everyone who needs an abortion — including people who come here from states where abortion has been effectively banned.”
“We are in a new era with the right to abortion at risk in our country like never before,” added Sarah Stoesz, President of the Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund. “And today more than ever, we must stand together and speak up in support of reproductive freedom and health equity. Planned Parenthood is proud to provide abortion care in Minnesota and we will protect these services for the sake of our state and our region. Abortion is health care and it’s a key reason our health care organization has been in our communities for over 100 years.”
The march will begin at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (725 Vineland Place) and end at Loring Park (1382 Willow Street). The event will be emceed by Erin Maye Quade, and it will feature abortion providers, advocates, and members of the newly-formed Reproductive Freedom Caucus in the Minnesota Legislature.
Members of the media are invited to congregate in a designated press area in Loring Park following the march. A press liaison will be available to direct media requests to spokespeople.
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Founded in 1992, the Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization. As the advocacy and electoral arm of PPMNS, we mobilize supporters of all parties to defend and increase access to family planning services and fact based, medically accurate sexuality education. We work to inspire and engage citizens to take up the cause of reproductive health and rights through education, electoral activity, grassroots organizing and legislative advocacy.
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