Women March in the Copper Country for Bodily Autonomy

Women and activists around the country, and right here in the Copper Country voiced their concerns over the new abortion ban in Texas. The ban on abortion in Texas became law in the state at the beginning of September. In our state of Michigan there is a law on the books that also convicts providers of abortion with a felony. On Saturday Susan Burack, who organized the Women’s March in the Copper Country, says that a woman’s right to her own bodily autonomy is essential to our society standing on equal footing.

Earlier in September Michigan Attorney General, Dana Nessel, joined a coalition of 23 other Attorneys General from around the country on an amicus brief in support of the Department of Justice’s challenge to the Texas abortion ban. The brief argues that the Texas ban is unconstitutional under current Supreme Court ruling (Roe v Wade, 1973). The Brief also alleges that the Texas legislators sought to skirt around the Supreme Court ruling, by putting the burden of enforcement on an individual, rather than the government.

Gov Whitmer said recently she’s urging the state legislature to begin efforts to remove that 1931 law from the Michigan. State Senator Erika Giess of Taylor, Michigan, began drafting legislation to remove that law. Back in 2019 the same legislation was introduced to the state, but that bill never made it to the governor’s desk.