SLO marches in support of Roe v. Wade: ‘We’re not backing down — we’re doubling down’

Approximately 300 people gathered in downtown San Luis Obispo on Saturday to rally in support of reproductive rights and the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade.

They were participating in one of the many “Bans off our Bodies” marches organized by Planned Parenthood across the country.

The marches came after Politico released a Supreme Court draft opinion in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case — an opinion that would overrule Roe v. Wade.

Saturday’s march kicked off at noon with a rally in front of the San Luis Obispo County courthouse.

Protesters held up a sea of pink signs saying “Abortion is healthcare” and “Bans off our Bodies.” There were also handmade signs from participants.

Judith Anderson of Edna Valley held a sign that read, “Don’t tread on me” — which she says is to support the right to reproductive autonomy for generations to come.

“My mother did not have the right to decide for herself if she wanted to carry a pregnancy,” Anderson said. “I was fortunate enough to have the right and I’ve been fortunate enough not to need an abortion, but I understand that isn’t always the case for everybody.”

One mother, Brooke Segler, attended the march with her daughters, Afina and Zahira Segler. They said it’s important to come out to protests together as a family.

“I’m speaking up against aggressive, arcane, ridiculous policies against letting women choose what they want to do with their bodies and speaking out and saying, ‘we’re half of the population and we’re not going to stand for it,” Brooke Segler said.

Afina Segler said it “doesn’t make sense” that the government is made up of predominantly male voices. While those politicians make decisions about reproductive rights, they don’t experience “the struggles of being pregnant and not being able to support your family,” she said.

A representative for California State Sen. John Laird was present at Saturday’s march and said that Laird “stands unequivocally with you all here today.”

Jenna Tosh, CEO of Planned Parenthood California Central Coast, said the organization has working to protect reproductive rights for more than 100 years — and was founded at a time when abortion was illegal.

Speaking at the rally, Tosh said Planned Parenthood is “not going anywhere.”

“We were born to fight, we have been fighting for your power, for your freedom, since our inception,” Tosh said. “We reject any Supreme Court decision that puts judges in charge of our bodies, of our lives. … We’re not backing down — we’re doubling down.”

The group chanted, “Bans off — our bodies” as speeches continued. They began marching around 1 p.m.

“This is more than a rally, this is more than a march, this is a movement,” Tosh said. “This is an uprising.”

Rallies were also scheduled in Santa Barbara and Ventura.

This story was originally published May 14, 2022 at 1:35 PM.