Almost 50 years after Roe v. Wade recognized freedom of reproductive choice for women, Beverly Hills locals took to the streets to protect that right. Nearly 300 people from near and far attended the Women’s March for Reproductive Freedom in Beverly Hills on Oct. 2 in protest of the Texas six-week abortion ban, known as Senate Bill 8. Men and women of all ages gathered at Beverly Gardens Park, holding signs that read “Our bodies are not political battlefields,” “Ruth sent us,” and “My uterus has more regulations than your guns,” among others, as cars driving down Santa Monica Boulevard honked in support. Speakers included Mayor Robert Wunderlich, attorney Gloria Allred, and 18-year-old Paxton Smith, who graduated in June from Lake Highlands High School in Dallas, Texas. As valedictorian, Smith gained national attention after she tore up her approved graduation speech and instead spoke out against her state’s new law.
Nationwide, over 600 similar Women’s March events took place over the weekend, including in Downtown L.A., Long Beach, West Hollywood, Pasadena, Malibu, Van Nuys, and several Orange County communities. The event was organized by longtime Beverly Hills resident, Colleen Rabin. According to Rabin, 299 people registered to attend Saturday’s sign holding event.
