As part of the national Women’s March organization, a team of local residents are hosting a Big Rapids Women’s March. The event, taking place on Oct 2, at noon at Mitchell Creek Park in downtown Big Rapids, focuses onthe fight for women’s equality and highlights the threats to universal access to reproductive care for all.
Recently, Texas passed SB 8, the “Texas Heartbeat Bill,” prohibiting abortions once a heartbeat can be detected, usually around six weeks. This is often before a woman even suspects she may be pregnant. Furthermore, the Texas law empowers private citizens to become enforcers of this new law, giving them the right to sue anyone involved in performing, aiding, or abetting abortions, for upwards of $10,000.
Why is this important? Recently, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called on the GOP-controlled Michigan Legislature Tuesday to repeal a decades-old law that criminalizes abortion, contending the policy could be restored by an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court ruling. (https://bit.ly/3lo81yC) The law is currently superseded by Roe v. Wade, allowing abortion to remain safe and legal in the state of Michigan.
At its core, Texas SB 8 limits access to affordable healthcare and degrades women’s rights and freedoms on the basis of sex. This sets a legal precedent, creating a path to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, ultimately making abortion illegal in all of Michigan, without exception.
The Mecosta County Democratic Party believes in human dignity, equal rights, and access to healthcare for all. By taking a stand against this threat to women’s health, the organizers of the Women’s March-Big Rapids are upholding the principles of the MCDP, and we encourage all to show support and participate. Register to march at https://bit.ly/3lsp7LA or visit the Women’s March-Big Rapids on Facebook at facebook.com/womensmarchBR or Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/womensmarchbr
The mission of the Women’s March is to harness the political power of diverse women and their communities to create transformative social change. Women’s March is a women-led movement providing intersectional education to engage in their local communities through trainings, outreach programs and events. Women’s March is committed to dismantling systems of oppression through nonviolent resistance and building inclusive structures guided by self-determination, dignity and respect. (https://womensmarch.com/)