Protesters discuss how to defend women’s rights

Militant/Edwin Fruit

KENT, Wash. — “We have to fight state by state the restrictions that have piled up, making it harder for women to obtain an abortion,” Mary Martin, left, Socialist Workers Party candidate for mayor of Seattle, told Michelle Rauschenberg, as they took part in a rally of 400 here Feb. 11, countering about 50 people at a “Defund Planned Parenthood” rally across the street.

“It seems like we have to keep fighting the same battles,” said Rauschenberg, right, who works as a teacher’s aide in the Renton school district.

Shelby Reeves and Tayler Bailey, both 32, shared a sign reading, “It’s my body and my choice.” That sign “gets to the heart of the matter,” Martin said.

“The Roe v. Wade decision decriminalizing abortion was not based on equal protection of women under the law, but rather the vague ‘right to privacy,’ a shared decision with a doctor, and viability of a fetus, that’s our problem,” she said. “Opponents of the right to abortion use things like changes in medical care to demand more restrictions.”

“This is our right as women, period,” responded Bailey. “That is how I was taught to think about this issue.”

“Both Democrats and Republicans are responsible for the erosion of abortion rights,” Martin said.

“I agree completely, although Tayler doesn’t think so,” said Reeves.

“Yes, I’m getting more involved in the Democratic Party,” said Bailey. Discussions like this on what way forward continued throughout the day.

— EDWIN FRUIT