Carrying Hangers, Group Rallies Against Abortion Bans

GREENPORT, NY — Wire hangers with the words "Never Forget" covered the ground in Greenport's Mitchell Park Tuesday, where a group gathered under bright blue skies to protest what they considered dark days in the nation's history after abortion bans in a number of states.

People across the country joined Tuesday at rallies to stand strong for their belief in women's rights.

On the East End, two rallies were scheduled: The noon gathering in Greenport and a rally at 6 p.m. in Sag Harbor, organized by Kate Mueth, that will take place at the wharf in front of the windmill.

Those who attended the Greenport gathering began by reading abortion facts aloud gleaned from the Guttmacher Institute. "When the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade, abortion had been legal in 17 states already," one woman said.

And, said another, 71% of Americans want to keep Roe v. Wade.

(Lisa Finn)

"The 1977 Hyde Amendment banned federal funding of abortion except for life endangerment, rape, or incest. Five states voluntarily provide the funds. 10 states fund under a court order. 35 states leave women to fend for themselves," another read.

(Lisa Finn)

According to the statistics read, in North America, Canada, and the United States, 1.2 million abortions are performed yearly, with 90% completed before 13 weeks and more than two thirds in the first nine weeks. Also, the statistics indicated, in 1930, 18% of maternal deaths were the result of illegal abortions and in 1965, illegal abortions resulted in 17% of all deaths due to pregnancy and childbirth.

Also, another woman read, "for poor women in New York City in the 1960s, 8 in 20 who had an abortion attempted a self-induced procedure — only 2% saying a physician had been involved."

Those present shared their stories.

One woman described a relative, a nurse. "She never wanted to see anyone hurting themselves. She treated women who had self-induced abortions and said, 'No way, I'm not going for that.' And she was a Catholic." The woman also said she believes the bans are about power and men wanting to control and abolish women's sexuality.

Other women recalled having to fly to Puerto Rico at great expense to have abortions.

"Trump says women are executing babies," another woman said. "That is true politics, bowing to the conservative and religious right, when he is the biggest fornicator of all — and he's probably paid for lot of abortions."

One woman said she was old enough to have gotten pregnant as a teenager in a state where abortion was not legal. "My mother had to take me to a state where abortion was legal, so that I could continue high school. My life would have been irrevocably changed in a not-good way. And so when I see that Georgia has a law that's being interpreted so as to punish women who are from Georgia but go to another state to get an abortion, it blows my mind. We are retreating to the Dark Ages in this county we have got to turn this around."

Another woman remembered friends who had undergone illegal abortions and went on to live with the decision, cloaked with shame, for the rest of their lives. "I can't believe, in this time, we're back to that again," she said.

Attorney Abigail Field reminded that in New York State, even if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned, woman are "safe," because of the recent election of a Democrat-majority in the Senate that voted to pass the Reproductive Health Act.

"Elections matter. You've got to vote," she said.

"This is an issue of control," said Rev. Valerie Freseman, pastor of the First Universalist Church of Southold. "It is not an issue of having compassion at all.There are women and girls who are going to be affected, who are going to lose their agency, who are going to be deemed 'less than' in these places where abortion is banned. We can never go back, because individual choice is between her, and her God, and her conscience. We must have compassion for the safety and health of women — and we must stop these bans."

One man present said he believed doctors should not get the blame — he felt doctors, rather than women having the abortions, were unfairly losing their agency.

Mueth described the planned Sag Harbor rally.

"If you'd care to pop by to show some solidarity with the women of Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, and the rest of the states gang piling onto anti-choice laws, join us," she said. "We will be there expressing strength, not victimhood to show our sisters that we support them and are strongly advocating on their behalf in all ways possible."

Mueth said she was motivated to take action after she saw there was a gathering taking place in Nassau County for #StopTheBans Day of Awareness and Solidarity; when she reached out on social media with the idea, she said she got a strong response.

"I think people, particularly women, feel the dangerously shifting sands under our feet and while to some this kind of thing may prove 'No use,' I think in fact coming together is the strongest first step humanity can make under any situation," Mueth said. "When we stop showing up in groups it means we've given up all hope and see no purpose or strength in our fellow humans and that, to me, reads as the darkest of days."

She added: "So we continue showing up, coming together, and so maybe the women of Alabama, Georgia, Ohio and the other states riding full ugly on this horse of anti-autonomy laws, can know they are not alone and us showing up in groups like this is actually the least of what we are willing to do. So lawmakers need to pay close attention."

Mueth those planning to attend to bring signs that express "solidarity, hope and positive action. Bring ideas to share for more ways to help activate change. Bring your sons and daughters, husbands and wives. I expect a small but mighty turn out for the day of action for #StopTheBans."