KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Protesters gathered outside the Kansas City, Missouri, City Hall on Saturday morning to show their opposition to the Supreme Court’s ruling on Roe v. Wade.
Whitney Bresette, mother of three daughters, says she cannot help but worry about them not having a choice in cases of abuse or health complications in the future.
“It’s terrifying raising little girls in America right now,” Bresette said. “I literally started bawling my eyes out — I’ve been crying this morning. Like I said, I have three daughters. I refuse to not let them have rights. This is ridiculous.”
Others in the crowd are worried the Supreme Court’s actions will not stop with a ban on abortions. Jessica Gray, who moved to Missouri from California to work at Children’s Mercy Hospital, says she woke up Friday morning frustrated.
“It’s frustrating to not be able to say that you have a right to your own body here in Missouri,” Gray said. “You know, the whole system is irritating and frustrating, but again we gotta keep coming out.”
In the crowd was another mother-daughter duo, Lynn and Bre Elman. Lynn says she did not think she would be fighting for the right to abortion again.
“I am past the reproductive age, but I have a host of friends of mine that have daughters like I do, and we’re all afraid for them,” Lynn Elman said. “We have freedoms for a reason. We should have freedoms over our body, and if you’re going to enforce rules, you need to be in the situations we are in.”
Her daughter, Bre, just turned 18 years old and registered last week to vote for the first time on Aug. 2. She cannot believe the rights her mother used to have were taken away from her.
“That’s insane to me, it’s definitely concerning, it’s terrifying,” Bre Elman said. “It’s hard to scientifically and emotionally justify it. But like the poster says, it’s a difficult choice, but you can never make that decision for someone else.”
She encourages young people like herself to make educated decisions.
Bresette offers similar advice, encouraging anyone to check in on those most affected by Friday’s ruling.
“Treat them with empathy in this rough time because they are grieving and fearful for their future in America,” Bresette said.
