9/18/2022
Madison, WI
Lead by MARRCH (Madison Abortion and Reproductive Rights Coalition for Health), activists and community members gathered at the University of Wisconsin Madison's Library Mall today to bring awareness to returning students and others about the continued attack on women's bodies and their choices around abortion and healthcare in general. These decisions are being made by people who have no business making these decisions for others. MARRCH also supports full bodily autonomy for all including LGBTQAI+.
From the event description:
- In 2019, a survey found 1 in 4 UW-Madison undergrad women experienced sexual assault. The number is higher (63%) for LGBTQ+ students.
- There are roughly 15,640 female undergraduates at UW; 11%, or 1,720 students, are raped each year. Of these, approximately 20% get pregnant, meaning that approximately 344 abortions are needed each year due to rape.
- People deserve agency over their bodies no matter the circumstance. They should be able to decide whether to carry a child. We understand that college party culture goes hand in hand with rape (mostly unreported), and rape goes hand and hand with unwanted pregnancy. We understand that it is your body and your choice no matter what, for your duration at Madison.
From Library Mall the group marched up State Street. Busses and other traffic gateway to the group, while folks out for a walk a Sunday stroll stopped to watch the parade, most showing their support. Once they reached the Forward Statue at the Wisconsin State Capital, a number folks spoke to the crowd gathered. Next the group marched back to Library Mall via Langdon Street, which is where many sororities and fraternities are located. On this day a round of rushing was taking place and many female students were gathered at various sororities dressed in sundresses and attire "suitable for an afternoon tea." This presented a stark contrast between those marching and those watching from the houses. Many of the female students did express their solidarity with those marching. Although, some derogatory comments were shouted from one of the fraternities, this didn't deter the group in the slightest, and prompted one protester to simply turn and given them the middle finger.
The group arrived back where they started, made announcements about another MARRCH rally and counter-protest on September 24th.