Asked Tuesday to describe her reaction to the Supreme Court’s opinion on abortion, Bethani Cameron let out an expletive.
“I can give you another,” the 39-year-old Overbrook resident and former City Council candidate said, updating her answer for print. “Sick to my stomach.”
During the afternoon, gray clouds nearly bursting with rain held out long enough for Ms. Cameron and more than 300 other protesters to march down Grant Street in Downtown Pittsburgh in support of abortion rights.
For many, it was the first day of an uncertain future.
“It’s very difficult for me to hold on to the thought that my nieces, my son, are going to have fewer rights than our parents and grandparents had,” Ms. Cameron said, her 10-year old marching by her side.
“I told him it’s very important to show up physically today, and that this is not OK.”
Protesters initially gathered outside of the City-County Building around 5 p.m., a response to a leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court that would see the court move to overturn Roe v. Wade’s protections in the coming months.
Some held signs. “Abortion Won’t Stop, Only Safe Ones Will,” was scrawled across one held by 21-year-old Lexie Pomory, a Carlow University student.
“I think everybody should have the right to choose how they take care of themselves and have the right to health care,” Ms. Pomory said. “I think anybody who has a uterus deserves to make their own choices. And I don’t think it’s fair that other people are bringing their opinion into it and making it seem like it’s something they need to decide. It’s not.”
A host of advocacy groups attended, including Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania, Women’s March Pittsburgh and the National Council of Jewish Women.
The Socialist Alternative and Party for Socialism and Liberation, who were not affiliated with the Bans Off Our Bodies rally, also spoke before demonstration on the steps of Pittsburgh’s highest office.
"When abortion rights are under attack, what do we do? Fight back" says rep from Socialist Alternative to crowd pic.twitter.com/Qqn7TXnOCi
— Jesse Bunch (@JesseBunch_) May 3, 2022
“The Supreme Court wasn’t elected. They don’t answer to us,” said Stephanie Pavlick, a 26-year-old Bloomfield resident and PSL member. “We can’t just vote them out — like the only option [President Joe] Biden has given us. We need a mass movement, just like the mass movement behind Roe vs. Wade before that was decided.”
Some in attendance cheered at Ms. Pavlick’s criticism of Democratic officials’ responses to the leak. Earlier in the day, Mr. Biden’s office released a statement urging those upset with the opinion to head to the polls this November and vote for pro-abortion rights candidates.
Ms. Pavlick thinks more should be done right now.
“There’s a majority in both the Senate and the House right now,” Ms. Pavlick said, “and they failed to codify abortion into law. They could have done that.”
Cara Cruz, a spokesperson for Pittsburgh police, said Tuesday that the department was aware of the protest, which marched from the City-County Building down Grant Street and toward Liberty Avenue.
— Jesse Bunch (@JesseBunch_) May 3, 2022
Over the course of the evening, the crowd marched to chants like “My Body, My Choice” as police officers on motorcycles directed traffic away from the group.
The rally came less than 24 hours after abortion-rights advocates encouraged people to protest outside of federal courthouses and government buildings across the country.
Groups began to form outside the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., late Monday evening after news outlet Politico leaked the bombshell document that revealed the court had reached at least a draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that protects a woman’s right to have an abortion.
Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement Tuesday that the draft opinion did not represent the final decision of the court and vowed to open an investigation into the leak.
But that hasn’t stopped abortion-rights advocates from sounding the alarm that a decision that would at least partially limit abortions is imminent, leaving the legality of the procedure in the hands of state governments.
Thirteen states have already passed “trigger laws” that would make abortion illegal should Roe v. Wade be overturned.
In Pennsylvania, no such law is in place, and both Gov. Tom Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro released statements assuring that abortion would remain legal in the state.
But attendees of Tuesday’s rally were still ready for a fight.
Asked whether she had a plan to stay involved in the movement for abortion rights, Ms. Pomory said she’ll “attend as many protests as possible” and vote in the upcoming primary elections.
“I think it’s important to use our voices and get involved with the local organizations fighting for what’s right,” she said. “I would encourage everyone as much as possible to get involved.”
Jesse Bunch: jbunch@post-gazette.com.
First Published: May 3, 2022, 8:29 p.m.
