Santa Clara Students Rally for Reproductive Rights

Hundreds gathered to support abortion rights in light of the Roe v. Wade draft opinion leak

A large crowd gathered on May 5 next to the Bronco Statue to call attention to issues surrounding reproductive rights.

The protest followed recent news that the Supreme Court had voted to overrule the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in an initial draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito.

The protest was advertised on social media and across campus with a flier titled “Hands Off Roe,” allowing a space for various speakers to voice their opinions and share stories about abortion rights.

Sophomore Rhiannon Briggs spoke about a Santa Clara law student standing outside of Mission Church on Thursday holding a sign that read, “I am in law school because I had access to a safe abortion.” The woman was berated by an older man who called her a murderer, according to Briggs.

“Not one person had stopped to support and protect her from blatant harassment,” Briggs said. “And yet we get this turnout here. I think this is a distinct example of the rampant pop activism and performative “wokeness” at Santa Clara University. Our almost entirely white social media echo chamber allows our privileged students to feel good about themselves without demonstrating active support for those most affected by this ruling.”

Briggs continued to urge the audience to make tangible strides in their activism, rather than putting their faith in politicians who have used the issue of reproductive rights to maintain power and stay in office.

“Donate money to single parents who need it,” Briggs continued. “Donate to Planned Parenthood, which provides contraceptives. If you live in a state that will ban abortion, order abortion pills online to distrubute in communities that need it the most.”

Junior Clare MacMillan, who spoke twice at the demonstration, questioned the rationale behind the pro-life movement.

“If you are truly anti-abortion, and you actually care about the fetuses, then you would support having acessible birth control, you would support having comprehensive sex education taught in our schools from a very young age — all these things,” she said. “If you really care about actually lowering the abortion rate, then you will enact these services.”

MacMillan emphasized that for many people, getting abortion is their only choice.

“Nobody is pro-abortion,” MacMillan said. “The people who are getting abortions don’t want to be getting an abortion. Most of the time when you are getting an abortion, it is because you are put in a position where that is your only option or it is the most economically feasible option. Nobody is walking to Planned Parenthood excited or happy about this.”

Not everyone in the audience was pro-choice. Junior Bryce Huntsman openly proclaimed his pro-life standing with a piece of paper taped to his chest that read, “I’m pro-life, ask me anything.”

“We have to all stand up for what's right,” Huntsman said. “It should be illegal to kill innocent human beings, and an abortion is the killing of an innocent human being, so when you put those two together you find that, well, abortion should be illegal.”

Huntsman said that he was there to establish a pro-life presence at the demonstration, and the crowd had been relatively accepting of his attendance.

“I want to consider myself open to different arguments,” he said. “I like interacting with people and debating these things. So far I haven’t really heard anything that has made me reconsider anything, but I am enjoying hearing them talk.”