TOLEDO, Ohio — As access to reproductive care is debated nationwide, more protests are on the horizon.
A pro-choice demonstration is scheduled for Tuesday, July 5 from noon to 5:00 p.m. in front of the Toledo courthouse. The poster associated with the demonstration emphasizes bodily autonomy, a point pro-choice protesters have been pushing regarding the recent ruling.
The demonstration comes after similar protests last week. Shortly after the Supreme Court decision last week, pro-choice Toledoans gathered at the corner of W. Sylvania Ave. and N. Haven St. at the Toledo Women's Center. Anti-abortion demonstrators from Ohio Right to Life also gathered outside the clinic.
While access to abortion is still legal in Ohio, the SCOTUS decision legalized the "Heartbeat Bill," a piece of legislation that prevents abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy when a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Many regard the bill as contentious, as individuals often do not know they are pregnant at six weeks. Many anti-abortion activists see the heartbeat as an indication of personhood.
For nearly fifty years, Roe v. Wade has allowed access to abortion by prohibiting states from banning abortion. The decision, which was made in 1973, has seen its fair share of arguments-- both for and against.
The case that overturned it, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, was a result of a 2018 law the state of Mississippi passed to ban abortions beyond week 15 of a pregnancy. Currently, a trigger law is in place which will ban all abortions by July 7. The law only makes exceptions if the pregnancy threatens the life of the mother; it makes exceptions for cases of rape or incest only if a formal charge has been filed with law enforcement.
