Marist Students Take to The Streets For Abortion Rights
Photo Credit: Lauryn Starke ‘23
“Women's rights are under attack, so what do we do? Fight back!”
Vanessa Toic’s defiant calls echoed through the streets of Poughkeepsie as she marched proudly, megaphone in hand, at the head of a growing crowd of student protestors. Members of the group carried signs that proclaim “Bans Off Our Bodies”, “No Uterus No Opinion” and “Get A Vasectomy!”
“We’re going to take a stance now because every single voice matters,” said Toic ‘23, one of the protest organizers.
This protest came in response to the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court that would effectively overturn Roe v. Wade. The draft, penned by Justice Alito, looks to overhaul the decision that legalized abortion across the United States in 1973.
The draft states that there is no constitutional basis for abortion protections on the federal level given that there is no historical precedent of the right to abortion in the Constitution. The opinion believes that states should handle the decision on whether or not to allow abortion. Although the decision won’t be finalized until the end of June, if the Supreme Court rules to overturn Roe, abortion could become illegal almost immediately in as many as 13 states that have “trigger bans” in place.
The leaked draft raised alarms in reproductive rights groups, and protests erupted across the country as Americans fear for the reality of life without Roe. The Poughkeepsie protest garnered over 70 protestors at its peak, including students from Marist and Vassar College, as well as members of the local community.
Last Thursday’s protest was organized by a coalition of Marist students, including members of Marist Femme and Marist Democrats, alongside Toic and fellow activist Catalina Buitano ‘23. After the draft leaked Monday, the students immediately got to work planning the demonstration and flooding social media feeds.
Photo Credit: Lauryn Starke ‘23
“For too long, the government has tried to regulate women’s bodies and we are completely digressing as a society,” said Mackenzie Curtis ‘23, Webmaster of Femme. “This is an extremely sad time for women everywhere and we need to stand up in unity with each other.”
As Curtis and the other protestors marched past City Hall, the streets came alive. Drivers on Mill Street honked their horns in support and residents stuck their heads out of apartment windows, raising their fists in solidarity. Another chant led by Toic rang out: “Everybody use your voice, my body my choice!”
Though the majority of the protestors are young women, several men showed up to express their support. “I’m supporting the ladies,” said Gabriel Borbon ‘23, the newly elected Student Body President at Marist.
Borbon explains that while he marches, his mind is on his six-year-old sister back at home. He can’t help but worry about what the world will look like for her as she grows up, stripped of the protections afforded by Roe.
“Old white men shouldn’t have an opinion on a body that’s not theirs,” Borbon said.
Julia Meyer ‘23, President of Marist Democrats, shared Borbon’s sentiment. “They have no right to be making laws that don’t even affect them,” she said. “That’s why we’re out here today because we as young college students are still affected by those [decisions] and we need to get out on the streets when our rights are attacked.”
Sara Guerette ‘25 from Marist feels personally connected to these protests. She never imagined that in her lifetime something of this magnitude would occur. “Honestly when I saw the news, I thought it was a joke,” She recalled.
The moment that she found out that there was an organized protest by Marist students, “I just knew that I had to be there,” Guerette said. Looking ahead, she has thought about the effects that this Supreme Court decision may have on the nation as a whole.
Guerette is from Connecticut, a blue state, and she is happy to see legislation in Connecticut that will offer abortion protections to those who need them. “It gives me hope that my state will at least be able to help people who come to Connecticut to seek abortions from more red states,” Guerette said.
Photo Credit: Lauryn Starke ‘23
Marist students were not the only ones at the protest contemplating what this Supreme Court ruling could mean.
Jyotsna Naidu, a freshman from Vassar College, understands that this Supreme Court ruling has consequences for how the United States government represents its people. “You have to represent the people’s wishes, or women will die. Largely low income, queer, POC women,” Naidu said.
Naidu, although worried about what could happen to those most vulnerable to this potential ruling, has hope for the future. She finds hope in her peers that are taking to the streets to protest. “It means so much that we’re actually doing something instead of just social media activism and actually putting actions into words,” Naidu explained.
Beyond Marist and Vassar students, members of the Pouughkeepsie community came out to show their support. Ben Stiebel found out about the protest through local activists who were aware of the demonstration. Stibel explained, “It’s about the rights of women to have access to safe contraception and health care.” He also believes that, “The only people who should be allowed to vote on abortions are people who can have abortions.”
Stibel also said, “I’m disappointed that more men aren't turning out for this stuff. It should just be a baseline that the fathers and the brothers and the boyfriends and whoever else would turn out.” In his view, “You aren’t any kind of man if you don’t stand up for the women in your life.”
As the court decision looms, Toic, Buitano and other organizers hope to see more activism in both the Marist community and the greater Poughkeepsie area.
“I hope that we can do something together and really mobilize a ton of people,” Toic said.
If the Supreme Court votes to overturn Roe v. Wade, the decisions regarding abortion laws will fall to the states. In response to the leaked draft, Senate Democrats attempted to pass a law that would codify Roe v. Wade into federal law on Wednesday, but failed to reach the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster of the bill.
Until the Supreme Court reaches a decision, Marist student Bella Wild ‘23 has a message for them: “Bodily autonomy is a human right and that’s it.”