Moscow Women’s March addresses reproductive issues

Saturday, dozens of community members gathered in front of city hall for the Moscow Women’s March. The march was organized as one of many across the nation in protest of Texas’s recent abortion law, which made it possible for citizens to sue other citizens for receiving, performing or assisting with abortion services.  

“There are a bunch of protests all across the country today,” University of Idaho student Lydia McRoberts, one of the organizers, said. “I asked the UI Women’s Center if there was one planned and decided we couldn’t not have one.” 

However, not just members of the UI community were at the event. Holli Cooper and her daughter, Allie Syte, were also at the event after hearing about it on Facebook.  

“It’s an important day to get out and talk about reproductive health,” Syte said. “It affects everyone, young and old”  

After a few words from the organizers, the protest marched down to East City Park, where a selection of speakers were heard. 

Former District 5 Rep. Shirley Ringo spoke on her experience both growing up in the pre-Roe v. Wade era as well as her experience fighting for reproductive rights in the Idaho Legislature. 

“One of my frustrations at that time [in the legislature] was people wanting to enact their religion into law,” Ringo said. “They suspected that they were right, and that the rest of us should abide by it. It was a very arrogant thing to do.”  

Neoshia Roemer, a law professor, spoke to the crowd about the potential of abortions becoming illegal in Idaho. Roemer said if Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court law case granting women access to abortion, was overturned, it would consequently stop abortions in Idaho.  

“One of the most important things that we can do to protect our rights, especially the right to abortion, is to continue to push at every level that we can to ensure that that right exists in our state laws,” Roemer said.  

Elizabeth Stevens, a faith leader in the Moscow community, vocalized her belief that consent to carrying a pregnancy is an important aspect in the discussion over abortion. Stevens also said abortion restrictions are desperate attempts by rich, white men to keep control over a culture that empowers them.  

“Reproductive freedom is part of one last desperate attempt to retain control and perpetuate multiple overlapping systems of oppression,” Stevens said.  

Katie Hettinga, a UI student and ASUI vice president, concluded the event by sharing testimony from submissions shared anonymously online.  

“We also need to value lived experiences,” Hettinga said.  

One testimony covered the journey of a trans-man looking to receive healthcare for a pap smear but being denied the procedure. They eventually found a doctor open to giving care and found cancerous cells, leading to a hysterectomy.  

Another testimony shared was from a woman whose baby suffered severe health defects during pregnancy and would most likely not make it to birth alive. She eventually made the decision to terminate the pregnancy because of the additional risk to her health. 

Several of the testimonies ranged in diverse backgrounds for people with inabilities to pay for an abortion or access to the procedure.  

Protestors were also joined by the Moscow Volunteer Peace Band. Band Organizer, Fritz Knorr also drove home the importance of showing up. 

“You gotta show up to these things, politically,” Knoor said. “You might as well have fun doing it.” 

March organizers included McRoberts and Christina Briggs-Mathers. Briggs-Mathers said that in a small town like Moscow and with the trigger bill that passed in Texas last month, the community needs representation.  

“If the Supreme Court doesn’t do anything about this, then we’re going to have the same kind of problem that Texas is having right now,” Briggs-Mathers said.  

Briggs-Mathers was impressed with the turnout of people at the march and called for supporters to donate to abortion clinics and advocacy groups in the northwest. 

Sierra Pesnell and Abigail Spencer can be reached at [email protected]