In protest to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, more than 200 people stood outside of the Historic Cache County Courthouse Wednesday evening in support of abortion rights.
The reversal of the 1973 case gives individual states the power to regulate abortions. Though Utah’s trigger law — which bans abortions that do not fall under specific circumstances — has been temporarily paused, the fight is not over, said Emily Shirley, a speaker at the protest.
“Think about all of this as this giant burning building,” she said. “We know and love people — maybe we don’t even know them — from other states, and they’re still in that burning building. And just because we got out of it doesn’t mean we can keep walking. We need to turn around and help get every single one of those people.”
As a single mother, and a birth mother to an adopted child, Shirley is no stranger to being put in the position of unexpected pregnancy. When it comes to abortion laws, she rejects the idea that abortion is “killing babies.”
“It’s about making one of the hardest and most life altering choices of your life,” she said.
As a birth mother, Shirley said the argument to “just adopt” isn’t relevant, as many adoption agencies are predatory organizations “driven by greed and money.”
“A common phrase that we use for adoption agencies is baby brokers, because that’s what they are,” she said. “They’re hungry for babies. They prey on innocent women who have more than likely gone through some of the most traumatic times of their life.”
Adoption agencies are celebrating this overturn, Shirley said, because they are excited about the supply and demand that is going to be met.
“This does not benefit women,” she said. “It benefits the baby brokers and the men who want control. This is taking us back.”
Shirley advised protesters to expand their circles and think about the people who this ruling will affect.
“There are so many birth mothers in Logan,” she said. “There are so many single mothers in Logan. Look further and you’re going to find more than one person who you know who has had an abortion.”
Emily Kuenker, pastor of Logan’s Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, attended and spoke at the rally to “set a few things right” regarding religious claims against abortion.
“You cannot claim that you stand for religious freedom and then claim a religious right to claim jurisdiction over my uterus,” she said.
Kuenker said those who claim to be believers in the God of life cannot also be careless with the lives of women, transgender and non-binary individuals, child-bearing and pregnant people, and children.
“In my tradition, we believe in a Jesus who was a nonviolent revolutionary who hung out with lepers and sex workers and crooks. Never once did he mention abortion or birth control,” Kuenker said.
After hearing from a few speakers, protesters lined the sidewalk in front of the courthouse to hold up their signs for passing cars to see. Participants were met with honks, and rolled-down car windows in support.
One of the protesters, Piper Aller, said she came to fight for her generation.
“I am only 16 years old, and I have my whole life ahead of me,” she said. “Women of this generation deserve the right to choose.”
Kenton Williams said he was surprised at the amount of older people he saw at the protest.
“Honestly, we’re just all in this together,” he said.
Kathy Roberts, who was 24-years-old when Roe was first decided, said she remembers the times before 1973, and is worried for the future to come.
“These young people need to know that people in their grandparent’s generation support them too,” she said. “Everyone who is concerned here tonight needs to vote. If you’re not registered, get registered, and vote.”