Hundreds of abortion rights advocates and providers, politicians, and supporters rallied in Downtown Pittsburgh on June 24 in protest of the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“Pittsburgh is a place for abortions,” said Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey during a passionate speech on the steps of the City County Building. “If you want to get an abortion, come to the city of Pittsburgh.”
Gainey was just one of multiple politicians to speak against the U.S. Supreme Court decision during the rally, hosted by Women’s March Pittsburgh. He was joined on Grant Street by state Rep. and U.S. Congressional candidate Summer Lee, Allegheny County Councilor Bethany Hallam, and Pa. State Rep. and Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate Austin Davis, among others.
"Pittsburgh is a place for abortion. If you want to get an abortion, come to the city of Pittsburgh" - Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey pic.twitter.com/wbKGxWY2Le
— lisa cunningham (@trashyleesuh) June 24, 2022
Speakers, including Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania CEO and President Sydney Etheredge, 1Hood Director of Advocacy and Policy Miracle Jones, President and CEO of New Voices for Reproductive Justice and Democratic state Rep. candidate La'Tasha Mayes, reminded onlookers that abortion currently remains legal in Pennsylvania.
Julie Strickland-Gilliard, former Western Pa. Regional Director for Pa. Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman, said she wasn't at the rally as a politician but as a Black woman. Lee echoed her comments, telling the crowd that this is an issue that doesn't just affect white women, but Black and Brown people, trans people, nonbinary people, poor people, and more.
Etna councilor Jessica Semler took the mic by announcing she had an abortion, which received cheers from the crowd. “My abortion saved my life and abortions save lives every day," she added.
Disability rights advocate Alisa Grishman spoke from her wheelchair in front of the steps and announced that she had sex the night before, reminding the crowd that “disabled people have sex” too, including safe sex.
Protesters spilled into the parking lot directly across from the City County Building and onto adjacent streets. Through the crowd of about 1,000 protesters, signs against the Supreme Court ruling included “I am so grateful for my abortion,” “Rape survivors matter,” “I will not quietly go back to the 1950s,” and “If my uterus was a gun, would you protect it?”
A second rally, organized by the Abortion Defense Committee Pittsburgh, Revolution Womens Study Group, Black Liberation Autonomous Collective, Justice for Jim Rogers, Food Not Bombs, and Black Anarchist Community Council, followed, with protesters still cheering on speakers at the City County Building several hours after the initial rally began at 5 p.m.
