Women's reproductive rights rally held Sunday in KCMO

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A large crowd gathered at Mill Creek Park in the Country Club Plaza on Sunday for a rally supporting women's reproductive rights.

The event comes after a leaked draft by the U.S. Supreme Court last week suggested members would overturn the Roe v. Wade ruling.

For Jodie Hockensmith, this Mother's Day meant more to her as she carried on the fight of her late mother.

"My mom passed away nine years ago, almost 10 years ago, and she was very pro-choice," Hockensmith said. "And she obviously fought back in the beginning before Roe v. Wade, and it just felt like a good way to be out here to honor her on Mother’s Day."

With other mothers and daughters of all ages and walks of life gathered to share their stories and find support, Cassie Driskel — co-director of Without Us, a Missouri-based abortion rights and labor equity group — said there is power in numbers.

“End all be all, abortion is healthcare, and your body should not be regulated by the government," Driskel said.

Rally-goers like Lorraine Goodrich voiced encouragement for voters to turn out for the cause during elections. While abortions are legal in Missouri and Kansas, she says she is concerned about what else could happen if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

"Once they take away abortion, they are going to take away birth control," Goodrich said. "I mean, who knows what comes next? It's a slippery slope, and we don't need to be there. There is no reason for this."

Older generations in the audience said they believe it is imperative choices get passed down to future grandchildren.

“Since I was in high school, we have had this right. And I don’t think that the young girls today yet understand what it would be like to not have it. It scares me a lot," said attendee Eileen McGrath.

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