A collection of Iowa groups organized a rally on the Iowa Capitol steps this weekend as the U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to overturn the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion.
“We will not stand for this decision and we will ensure that people in Iowa will have the right to choose,” said 17-year-old Shreya Joshi, a student at West Des Moines Valley High School.
Joshi said if abortion is banned here, Iowa women will become refugees fleeing to other states where abortion remains legal. “Forcing someone to give birth even when they were assaulted or their life may be at risk is the definition of controlling our bodies,” she said, to cheers.
Leah Vanden Bosch, a northwest Iowa native, a patient advocate for Planned Parenthood and co-president of the Iowa Abortion Access Fund, said the “white Christian community” like the one she grew up in is the root of the problem.
“We are in one hell of a fight in Iowa.” Vanden Bosch said. “…Our state legislators are dangerously wrong when they think they’re exemplifying Christ-like behavior, passing the inhumane legislation currently circulating through Iowa.”
A recent volunteer with the Iowa Abortion Access Fund who also spoke at the rally said she will no longer support Democratic candidates because Democrats in congress and the White House are not immediately passing a law to make abortion legal nationwide.
Three Democrats who are running for seats in the Iowa legislature also spoke at the rally.