Madison, WI – On June 20, a grassroots group held a rally outside of the Wisconsin state capitol and then tried to occupy the floor of the Senate to speak out against SB 206, otherwise known as Sophie’s Law.
This legislation was created and passed by the right wing. The law mandates trans-vaginal ultrasounds for any woman who seeks to terminate a pregnancy, even in cases of rape or incest. In addition, the law places restrictions on doctor-patient confidentiality and even allows for relatives of the woman who underwent an abortion to take legal action against the doctor or even the woman herself.
When the activists – mostly women – tried to enter the Senate floor, the group was met with attempts to physically restrain them. Some of the women were tackled to the ground. Eight women made it into the foyer area of the legislature before being arrested by capitol police. One male protester made it onto the Senate floor.
An organizer of this truly grassroots event, Jennifer Epps-Addison, stated in reference to the struggle, “People have to break out of their comfort zone and begin talking about women’s rights – to their family, friends, co-workers and neighbors. This isn’t just about the control of women’s bodies by the state legislature, but about women’s ability to participate equally in our democracy. We need to speak out loudly and often on these issues. We need to participate in informal organizing structures. Most importantly, we need to make it difficult for those who want to dismantle our Wisconsin way of life.”