PPSCNY JOINS 1.1 MILLION MARCHING FOR WOMEN'S LIVES.

WASHINGTON D.C. Planned Parenthood of South Central New York and three busloads of dedicated local supporters of reproductive rights braved the cold and a 3am departure time to attend the March for Women’s Lives on April 25^th, 2004 in Washington D.C.

Over 150 people from Broome, Chenango, Delaware and Otsego Counties rode PPSCNY's three busses to have their voices heard at this extraordinary event. For some of us, it was our first march of any kind and for others this event was a way to pass along to other generations the importance of protecting and supporting the reproductive rights they fought so hard to win. With us on this monumental day were people who attended the 1992 March for Choice rally in Washington D.C. , as well as students from Hartwick College, Binghamton University and SUNY Oneonta. Older women at the March wore necklaces with small metal coat hangers, and chanted “We can’t go back.” Mothers, grandmothers and daughters marched together to ensure that this important struggle will be carried on by people who have heard the stories of the way it was before abortion and even contraception were legal and accessible.

A million peaceful marchers demonstrated the overwhelming support for reproductive rights and safe, legal abortion. In this perilous time when a change of one justice on the Supreme Court could overturn Roe v. Wade's guarantee of legal abortion, when federal legislation has been signed for the first time criminalizing a method of abortion, when medically accurate sexuality education is under attack, and when funding for family planning clinics like PPSCNY continues to be slashed, this massive showing of support must be a wake up call to policy makers that the majority of Americans support and demand family planning and reproductive rights. One sign said it all: "Vote as if your life depended on it".