October 5, 2021 - 8:51 am

Reproductive rights rallies were held in Seattle on October 2nd and 3rd.  The events were in response to bills restricting access to abortions in Texas and Misissippi.

Gol Holghooghi hit the streets on October 3rd to hear from people on both the pro-choice and pro-life sides of this topic.

Producers: Gol Holghooghi and Yuko Kodama

Photo Gol Holghooghi

0:00
There were two reproductive rights rallies held this past weekend in Seattle, in response to recent restrictive laws against abortion passed in Texas and Mississippi. KBCS’s Gol Holghooghi went to the Sunday event in downtown Seattle and brings you the set of interviews from the street.

0:18
I was wondering what brings you out here? It seems like you’ve been through this struggle for many years.

0:41
Yeah. I was always sure, on the issue of abortion, that it was a woman’s right to choose that overrode other considerations. That women are not slaves. And so they have the right to control their own bodies. That it’s possible for the government to guarantee the right to safe abortion on demand, free free health care, including reproductive health care, from cradle to grave, and also child care.

1:18
And can you tell us your name, please?

1:20
I’m Lea Simmerer.

1:25
I guess I never really like thought that we would have to fight for our own right to use our bodies in the way that we want. We use American as like the slogan for freedom, but yet we never use our freedom for anything good. We’re always like, let’s have freedom, let’s have liberty. But like for who? We’re always getting something taken from us. And when it is given, it is never something that we actually need. Like, when they legalized marijuana. No one really needed that. But they gave it to us. And what is the government doing now to support our well being?

2:01
I do think a lot of the older generations and especially the ones who are old enough to be in charge of everything at the moment – because my generation is not old enough to take charge yet. So all the other generations are able to take charge and all this and have a greater say, than we do. I’m not saying that everyone, all the generations above us, don’t have this open mindset. But I’m saying it’s easier for – there shouldn’t be this power that is held over us in our bodies at the moment. But I do believe in the future with time, I cross my fingers that things will get things will get better. And especially as I’m a trans individual, and I have a uterus, and I do not want to have a baby. And there’s chances of sexual assault and things like that, that can cause me to get pregnant. The fact and scare that I would have to carry my own baby, not identifying as a woman, and having to be a trans man in society pregnant because I cannot get an abortion is one of the most terrifying things I can think of.

3:05
Yeah, I think, I think one like really important step is we somehow need to make sure that everybody knows it’s a health care issue. Like I have a friend, he’s a good guy, but he’s very strongly against abortion because he was a failed abortion. Which, that’s a very emotional situation to be in. But you have to remember that people, they sometimes they need an abortion for one reason or another. And they could die trying to give themselves one or they could die in childbirth. And people just need to remember it’s a medical procedure that’s necessary for a lot of people like that’s the change in the mindset.

3:44
What’s the age group around here?

3:46
Oh, 18

3:49
any names?

3:49
My name’s Beetle

3:51
Um Kam

3:57
(Sounds from the rally)….Hi there. Can I ask you What brings you here today?

4:02
Well I’m a Bible believing, Bible obeying born again, Christian, I believe in life. Jesus said that in john 10:10 that he came to give life. The devil came to steal, kill and destroy. And that’s what we see today. They’re here to steal and kill and destroy innocent babies. And so we just believe in life and we’re here to advocate on behalf of the kingdom of God. Jesus wants us to have life. Every time a woman conceives, that is a blessing from God. Whether it was conceived by rape was conceived out of marriage or out of wedlock – It’s still life that God has created. And so God is a merciful God. If he’s allowed a woman to conceive. That means that he is blessed that baby. And so everyone, everyone- I had two children out of marriage. Bu God has bless both of my kids. They’re here, they’re alive. And so we’re here just to, just to try to reason with them. And let them know that women need to protect the womb. They need to protect life.

5:09
I don’t think there’s any woman on the planet that enjoys the thought of having an abortion. It’s an extraordinarily difficult choice to make. And most women that have had abortions, they’re very necessary for many reasons. Both men and women have responsibility to protect themselves if they don’t want children. I would rather see people doing that at a much bigger rate than have to deal with abortion in and of itself. But I definitely believe in pro choice. And I certainly believe that women are leading the pack. Our government has been carried on by white males for far too long. We’ve got such a long way to go in terms of women’s rights at every level. The pay is still abominably short of what men are making for the same work. I’m grateful that you’re out here because something I’m really concerned about is I saw absolutely no information in the newspaper. And I’m not a big newspaper reader, but I saw no information about this rally today. The only reason I knew about it was because my friend up there is with part of the leadership around this and I didn’t see anything in the Sunday paper about yesterday and what is that all about? The Mariners to take front page and then abortion rights activist are not? Give me a friggin’ break y’know?

6:34
What is your name, please?

6:36
My name is Laurie..

6:38
My name is Sebastian… My woman that I’m with right now, my wife, we had an abortion and every day we live that regret. We’re gonna see our son in heaven one day, and I’m gonna have to look him in the eye and say, ‘I killed you’. That’s gonna kill me. I-I don’t think there’s going to be a single moment that will destroy me more than that. When I see my son one day and I have to look him at me straight in the eye and say, ‘you were an inconvenience for me. So I had to get rid of you’. That’s evil. This is all for the glory of God. We’re only doing the will of Him.

7:11
It’s fantastic to see everyone out here caring about women’s rights and reproductive rights. But I would really love to see that same exact energy for the reproductive rights of women and people in ice detention centers who are actively currently being forcibly sterilized.

7:30
Can you give me your name?

7:31
It’s Robin Snyder.

7:32
Thank you.

7:39
That was Gol Holghooghi who covered the reproductive rights rally from this past Sunday. Rallies were held on Saturday and Sunday.