written by Dr. Ellen K. Halter
photos by Kim Fairley
About 500 people came to the U-M Diag on Tuesday to protest the recent spate of anti-abortion legislation in state legislatures. The rally was a success by anyone’s standards. The crowd was surrounded by a few anti-abortion protesters holding signs of unborn fetuses and interrupting speakers. However, the majority shouted them down until routing them from the edge of the crowd.To cheers and applause, Senator Jeff Irwin spoke of the importance of fighting for the right to control our bodies. He noted the hypocrisy in the Republican position: their opposition to federal regulations yet their ready support for control of a woman’s body and future. He said of the Michigan legislature in Lansing, “If you can’t change their vote, change their faces.” He went on to tout the urgency of continuing to fight for change during the 2020 presidential election.