Michigan Coalition for Reproductive Liberation Disrupts Business as Usual in Lansing to Demand Repeal of the State’s 1931 Abortion Ban
by Dianne Feeley
On June 8 the Michigan Coalition for Reproductive Liberation went to Lansing to demand legislators repeal the state’s 1931 abortion ban that remains on the books. Reading our collective statement and chanting from the gallery, we disrupted business as usual until security forced us out.
Since the Michigan legislature has never repealed the 1931 restrictive law, it would come into effect if the Supreme Court overthrows Roe v. Wade.
This would mean the criminalization of all medical personnel and pharmacists who aid those who decide to end their pregnancy. At least 1.5 million pregnancies have been legally and safely aborted in Michigan since the 1973 Roe v. Wade.
Of all the state “trigger laws” that would spring into effect with the Supreme Court decision, Michigan’s is among the most repressive — the only exception is when the pregnant person’s life is in danger. In countries with such a restriction, women have died from septic poisoning before the pregnancy could be terminated.
On June 8 more than 50 people from a range of generations rallied in front of the Capitol. Speakers — almost all of them DSA members — focused on the need for repeal.
Wendy Thompson, former president of UAW Local 235, read off the names of unions whose leaders have spoken out for legal abortion, including the national AFL-CIO and the flight attendants union. Laurie Stuart, former president of the UAW local at the Detroit library, said that under their contract abortion was a medical procedure covered by their health care plan. She recounted stories of several classmates who had illegal abortions or were forced to continue with an unwanted pregnancy before 1973.
Other speakers included Janice Fialka, who was active in the women’s health care movement in the pre-Roe era, Aaron Bager, newly elected Metro Detroit DSA co-chair, and DSA member Zori, who spoke about how racism doubled the health issues pregnant Black women face. Pointing to the widening gap between legislators and the public, she pledged that the movement would continue to defend the most vulnerable.
When I spoke, I reported that the legislature had entered the fight on the anti-abortion side: on June 6 it sued to dismiss Judge Elizabeth Gleicher’s temporary injunction against the 1931 law. Gleicher had granted the injunction when Planned Parenthood sued to have the state law ruled unconstitutional. (Governor Gretchen Whitner has filed a similar lawsuit and asked the Michigan Supreme Court to fast-track the case.)
At the end of the short rally, Zora Monico led the group in chants, preparing us to go into the gallery as the House of Representatives began their session. There we began by reading our collective statement. As the chair ordered us to stop disrupting the session, we began chanting. As the session paused for security to clear the gallery, a couple of Detroit legislators stood in our support.
During the twenty minutes or so that we were able to hold our ground, the favorite chant was “Hey, hey, ho, ho, abortion bans have got to go.”
With security guards aided by the Michigan state police, we were pushed from the gallery. One Black organizer was surrounded by security and police and when Cameron Lee attempted to aid the person targeted, he was immediately arrested.
With just a handful left in the gallery, MCRL decided to withdraw. But determined to keep the chanting up while Lee was under arrest, we occupied the hallway just outside the legislative chambers.
Within the hour Lee, who was ticketed for trespassing, was released without bond.
Throughout the event registered voters were signing the petition to put reproductive freedom into the Michigan Constitution via a referendum on the November ballot. We have the rest of June to collect the 425,000 signatures needed.
The event was covered by several newspapers, including the Lansing State Journal, which posted an article, a video, and several photos:
The Supreme Court’s decision will be issued in June or possibly early July; decisions are usually posted at 10am Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.
The day the decision is announced, Michigan Coalition for Reproductive Liberation will rally and march at 5pm at the federal courthouse, 321 Lafayette, Detroit. Plan now by making signs and bring the DSA banner.
The Detroit Socialist is produced and run by members of Detroit DSA’s Newspaper Collective. Interested in becoming a member of Detroit DSA? Go to dsausa.org/join to become a member. Send a copy of the dues receipt to: membership@metrodetroitdsa.com in order to get plugged in to our activities!
