Demonstrators Hold Reproductive Rights Rallies in South Florida Saturday: The protests come after a controversial new bill was filed in the Florida state legislature that would make it illegal for a doctor to perform an abortion if there’s a detectable heartbeat
This past Saturday (October 2), Nancy and I attended the March for Reproductive Freedom in Ft. Lauderdale (one of over 600 around the country!); I dumped out my Jar o' Buttons, collected over the last four decades, and affixed the Choice ones to my backpack (photo above), and I posted the following to their Facebook page:
Kudos to Jasmen and Emma, and everyone who volunteered, organized, and showed up! I am 67 years old, in the I Can't Believe I'm Still Protesting This Sh*t demographic. I have attended many local marches over the last four decades, as well as crossed state lines (Washington DC in April 2004!), and I was delightfully impressed yesterday, not only with the turn-out but also the number of *young* women, and many men. This *is* what democracy looks like... ✌
The speakers were motivational (Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Nikki Fried, among many others), the signs creative (Pumpkin and Spice and Reproductive Rights!), and there were even female internal organs crafted from pool noodles (which I called The Sisterhood of the Traveling Uterus!).
The march, under blue South Florida skies, was powerful as well as joyful; I forgot how good it felt to stop traffic! And those chants: "hey, hey ho ho, Ron DeSantis has to go" and "What do we want? CHOICE! When do we want it? NOW!"
What a fabulous day of empowerment and inspiration. I *am* tired of fighting, but I will continue to until we have Justice and Peace. "Ain’t no power like the power of the people cuz the power of the people don’t stop (Say what!)" indeed... ❤
BOOK: The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls by Mona Eltahawy
POEM: Sticky by Kaitlin Shetler
give me the faith
of a child
where i question everything
and take no shit
give me the heart
of a child
where my passions
keep me up talking
way past my bedtime
i want to be
earnest
eager
and electric
exhausting my detractors
exploding expectations in favor
of my imagination
i want to be
brutally honest
and sticky
unashamed of
my hobbies
and my body
let the little children
come with
candor
and challenge
and let me follow
them
give me the faith
of a child
where if it doesn’t
make sense
i can just walk away
and mud doesn’t scare
me
and perfection
doesn’t chase me
and dreams don’t
defy me
give me the faith
of a child
and let me fight
monsters
with just the power
of being
me
QUOTE: “And that is how change happens. One gesture. One person. One moment at a time.” ~ Libba Bray
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