Charlotte was just one of the locations across the U.S. to hold rallies on May 8.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The leak of the Supreme Court’s majority draft opinion in favor striking down Roe vs. Wade still has Congress scrambling.
The issue is inflaming passions on both sides. There have been rallies in support of and in protest against the Supreme Court’s potential decision.
On Mother’s Day, hundreds gathered in support of abortion rights at Freedom Park in Charlotte.
“Our community is desperate for our freedoms,” Reproductive Rights Coalition Charlotte leader Hope Robertson said.
Freedom of choice was at the forefront Sunday.
Local leaders from the Reproductive Rights Coalition, Charlotte for Choice and the Black Abortion Defense League organized the protest calling for safe and legal abortion access. Several women spoke about how they or someone they knew decided to have an abortion.
“If we don’t start here with women’s rights with the rights to abortion that effect people of color, women, transgender people, mostly poverty-stricken women because the wealthy will always be able to afford a safe abortion,” Robertson said.
On the other side, abortion restrictions have been sought by conservative Christians for decades. New data from the Pew Research Center shows nearly 40% of Americans want abortion to be ‘mostly’ illegal.
If Roe vs. Wade is invalidated by the Supreme Court, the right to have an abortion in North Carolina will likely be banned or extremely restricted, according to experts.
North Carolina already has several restrictions in place before women can get an abortion. The state also has an unenforced ban on most abortions past 20 weeks.
If Roe vs. Wade disappears, that law could be enforced.
There’s also concern that many other landmark decisions like birth control or gay marriage will be ask risk. At the rally, many speakers encouraged people to get out and vote.
Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
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