KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Hundreds of people gathered at Mill Creek Park in Kansas City, Missouri, to participate in the "March For Reproductive Rights" on Saturday. The march is one of many happening across the U.S. calling for access to abortion.
Dozens of speakers took to the podium during a rally before the march. A range of topics was discussed including history, Black Lives Matter and the recent abortion law passed in Texas.
Biden's administration called for a judge to block the law in Texas on Friday, which bans most abortions in the state after six weeks.
“I’m scared. I’m really scared that I won't have the freedom that I do now," said Jordan Glanville, march attendee. "I think if we continue to fight now, things could change in the future, we could reverse what happened in Texas and just really keep what we have and make it that much better.”
Many, like Glanville, expressed their concerns about similar restrictions coming to Missouri.
“Lawmakers, keep your hands off my body," said Kaitlin Woodson, march attendee. "I don’t think healthcare is an option — healthcare is a right. And they should not have the option to take our choices about healthcare away."
Abortion is currently legal in the state of Missouri. A 2019 abortion law seeking to ban procedures at eight weeks of pregnancy was never enforced after a federal judge blocked it a day before it was to take effect.
“I am old. I’ve been doing this for years and things are getting worse, not better. I don’t understand why," said 77-year-old Joan Papineau. “It is incredible to look back on history and see what things women couldn’t do.”
For Sky Bell and Mikyla Mathews, they said this fight is harder as minorities.
“Not just as a woman but a Black woman, how hard it is and how much of our rights we are losing," Bell said.
But Mathews said she will continue to fight for her future.
“They always think minorities don’t know what they are talking about — they are over exaggerating. But this is our future, you know? We gotta fight for it," Mathews said.
