UNITED STATES Biggest demonstration ever for abortion rights ON INTERNATIONAL Women's Day over 100,000 people, mostly women, demonstrated in Washington, D.C., to keep abortion safe and legal. A week later in Los Angeles, on March 16, another 30,000 marched in defence of abortion rights. The three-mile long march in Washington was composed of contingents from most of the Eastern states and from many college campuses. People arrived by 400 chartered buses, by train, car and even airplane. It was the largest demonstration in support of women's rights since the July 9, 1978, rally, which was crucial to winning an extenstion date for the Equal Rights Amendment campaign. (However the amendment itself was later defeated.) DIANNE PERLAY
There was also a feeling of solidarity with women on an international scale, underlined by references to events in the Philippines, Nicaragua and South Africa. There was a sense that women are fighting against their oppression globally - despite the different forms that oppression takes - and that we are linked to this community of women.
This sense of sisterhood and solidarity was most clearly expressed in a contingent that linked the rightwing agenda on women with the rightwing agenda in Central America. The contingent changed slogans such as "Choice, yes, contras no, the right wing has got to go!" and "No bombings, no war, in women's clinics or El Salvador!"
Both demonstrations were called by NOW. In recent years NOW has sought to become more of a "mainstream" organization - with an emphasis on lobbying - but this demobilization has lost the organization members and weakened the movement. This demonstration was built by mobilizing the ranks of NOW and appealing to a grass-roots sentiment. It could be an important building block in revitalizing the movement in defence of women's rights. movement to the escalating rightwing attacks on abortion rights. The compulsory pregnancy forces, led by the Catholic Church hierarchy and Christian fundamentalists with the open support of President Reagan, have become increasingly violent and dishonest in their tactics in recent years.
Since the defeat of the Equal Rights Amendment in 1982, the women's liberation movement in the United States has been in a state of demoralization and demobilization. The leadership of NOW, along with the leaderships of other social movements of the oppressed and the trade unions, became more deeply entrenched in the Democratic Party, particularly around the 1984 Presidential elections. The marches in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles for abortion rights are evidence that things may be beginning to turn around again.
These significant demonstrations also show the strong pro-choice sentiment of the American population. In addition, they attest to NOW's continuing ability to mobilize large numbers of women in the streets for women's rights. Despite weaknesses in much of NOW's leadership, NOW remains a significant organization of the women's movement that cannot be ignored.
International Viewpoint 7 April 1986
DIANNE FEELEY
The Washington demonstration was the largest action ever held in defence of legal abortion. To date there have been 37 clinic bombings; some clinics have been forced to close after their buildings were damaged two or three times and they could no longer obtain insurance. Yet these are not the sort of terrorists Reagan is concerned about.
Over the last several years women seeking abortion - who must run a gauntlet of harassment from opponents of abortion as they enter major clinics across the country - have been protected by feminist-organized escort services. Clinics are particularly threatened on January 22, the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Last year the National Organization for Women (NOW) held a 24-hour vigil at the clinics during the anniversary. The right wing also annually demonstrates in Washington, D.C. on that date. However TV commentators pointed out that the International Women's Day demonstration was twice as large as the right-wing one held two months earlier.
With 1.5 million abortions performed in the United States each year - 90 per cent of them performed within the first twelve weeks of gestation - it is clear that millions of women have exercised their right to abortion, and are prepared to defend themselves against the rightwing attacks. More than one sign at the march testified to this spirit.
Any women over 30 can remember what it was like when abortion was a back-alley operation and some women paid with their health or even their lives. Recalling the terror of an unwanted pregnancy and an illegal abortion, demonstrators carried coathangers coated with red paint.
The spirit of the demonstration was militant. Speakers emphasized how women had to rely on their own power and continue to "stay in the streets." They talked about the need to defeat the right wing not through clever maneuvers but by challenging them politically. ANN MENASCHE LOS ANGELES - Thirty thousand people, mostly women, braved torrential rains on March 16 to march in the west coast "March for Women's Lives", called by the National Organization for Women (NOW). The demonstrators demanded safe and legal abortion and birth control.
It was an impressive sight to see -a seemingly endless stream of umbrellas and purple, gold and white banners - colors of the old suffrage movement - printed with the names of the hundreds of organizations in attendance.
There were NOW chapters there from as far away as Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Hawaii and Fort Worth, Texas. Also present were the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, numerous chapters of Planned Parenthood, and women from campus groups, women's clinics, and several unions, including Service Employees International Union (SEIU), International Association of Machinists (IAM) and a group pf striking TWA stewardesses.
At the rally, NOW President Eleanor Smeal expressed the feeling of everyone present, when she said "We won't be going back one inch". She referred to attempts to make abortion illegal again.
Both demonstrations were the first major response of the feminst