The Texas Heartbeat Act was enacted on May 19 and then commenced on September 1. Under this new Texas legislation, women are no longer allotted legal healthcare resources regarding pregnancy termination after the 6-week time period.
This new Heartbeat Act has facilitated controversy within the pro-choice community leading to a large turn-out for the October 2nd Women’s March in the Main Street Gardens of Dallas, Texas.
My friends and I, alongside thousands of people, gathered in Dallas for the annual Women’s March in protest of the New Heartbeat Act.
Walking up to the Main Street Gardens, there were waves upon waves of people holding colorful signs that stated pro-choice vernacular. From the bold protesting to the free Plan B pills available for the crowd, the support for women’s reproductive liberation was unprecedented.
A wide variety of people attended the Women’s March. Devonie Cobel, a mother who brought her 11-year-old daughter to protest, spoke emotionally about why she believes in a woman’s right to choose.
“If we do not have a choice about how we bring life into the world, or if we even want to, then we are subhuman,” Cobel said with tears in her eyes.
Jane Greere, a 71-year-old woman who protested before Roe v. Wade was passed, spoke about the need for safe abortions.
“I am so passionate about this because I had a friend who passed away before Roe V. Wade because of a botched abortion, so I’m out here protesting it again,” Greere said.
After the speeches commenced, my friends and I walked the streets of downtown Dallas among men, women, children, and even pets who all had one idea in mind: We all deserve reproductive healthcare.