Middlesex Co. Group To Rally For Reproductive Rights On Saturday

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — A march is being organized in Middlesex County on Saturday, to support reproductive rights and as part of a national day of action.

The Women's March in Monroe Township is one of many events planned across all 50 states in conjunction with the national Women's March organization. The march is being organized by Indivisible Monroe — one of 6,000 grassroots organizations nationwide that formed after the 2016 election. The mission of the organization is to "promote a progressive agenda and ideals through legislative advocacy, education, and community outreach."

"The rally is being held in conjunction with Women's Marches in every state to defend women's reproductive rights and send a clear, unified message to the Supreme Court and lawmakers across the country that women will not tolerate interference with our bodies," Indivisible Monroe said in a statement.

The march is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 2, 1 p.m. onwards, Thompson Park, Monroe Township, at the gazebo by the lake.

According to womensmarch.com, here's why people will be marching on Saturday:

"When the Supreme Court rejected an emergency request to block Texas's abortion ban, they effectively took the next step towards overturning Roe v. Wade. Simply put: We are witnessing the most dire threat to abortion access in our lifetime. That's why we're marching in every single state and in our nation's capital, Washington D.C., on October 2 before the Supreme Court reconvenes. We need to send an unmistakable message about our fierce opposition to restricting abortion access and overturning Roe v. Wade before it's too late."

The first Women's March was held in Washington the day after the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump. Millions worldwide have since gathered for the events and rallied around a range of matters related to social justice, including equal pay, gender-based violence, reproductive health care, LGBTQ rights, and more.

The Women's March rallies are planned days before the U.S. Supreme Court reconvenes Oct. 4 and two months before justices begin hearing a case regarding a Mississippi abortion law, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, that is believed to pose a threat to the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade.

In the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, the court upheld a woman's right to abortion until about six months into her pregnancy, when the fetus would be able to survive outside of the womb. Abortions are banned well before this point in Mississippi, where most abortions are banned after 15 weeks, NPR reported.

Just this month, the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to decline to hear a case regarding a Texas law that blocked most abortions, The New York Times reported.

Two other marches are being held in New Jersey on Saturday — in Willingboro, Burlington County, and Montclair.

Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com

Get breaking news alerts on your phone with our app. Download here. Sign up to get Patch emails so you don't miss out on local and statewide news.