Panthers march for reproductive justice
Jacob Downey
He/Him
Editor-in-Chief
4/18/23
“To build a movement of young people to transform our political system so it serves and is led by the people it has left behind.”, the rallying cry of The New Hampshire Youth Movement, saw action on the Alumni Lawn Sunday with their March on Plymouth for Reproductive Justice. This comes after last year’s Women’s March, a response to the review and ultimate overturning of Roe v. Wade. The name has since been changed to better include trans and non-binary persons who are just as much the target as Cis-women in a Republican-led effort to upend half a century of safe, legal reproductive care. While the name change may seem like simple branding, the intersectionality it represents serves as a significant gesture toward the overlapping success of both the feminist and LGBTQ+ causes.
The purpose of the event itself was, according to NHYM Vice-President Archer Scott, “…to raise awareness of the anti-abortion and other anti-reproductive bills that are being passed or trying to be passed both here in New Hampshire and across the country”. The day’s activities saw vendors, marching, and speeches from Scott, Public Affairs Organizer for Planned Parenthood of New Hampshire Action Fund, Fiona Geary, and pastor of Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, Rev. Sammy Holland. Additionally, a letter from congresswoman Annie Kuster was read aloud by NHYM President Teagan Connelly.
Holland’s presence came as something of a shock as anti-LGBTQ+ movements have long used ‘faith’ or perversions thereof as a justification for bigotry. Holland’s words rang with a comforting inflection that preached, “For such an outstandingly beautiful state and country, this is a heinous action. And so we say – give us our rights! Let us find peace and health”. Holland challenged the crowd to ‘get into good trouble’, by educating, advocating, and moving New Hampshire towards a space with more freedom rather than less.
In her speech, Geary in particular referenced a need for proactive steps to protect abortion now that Roe is off the table, stating, “New Hampshire has taken no steps toward protecting abortion rights. Just this week the New Hampshire Senate rejected HB 88 – the Access to Abortion-care Act – which would have enshrined the right to abortion in state law, even though New Hampshire’s House of Representatives passed it with bipartisan support and New Hampshire’s governor indicated he would support it”. This bill would have provided a critical firewall to prevent future action to institute a statewide abortion ban. This comes in especially concerning as that very same senate prepares to hear SB 272, an act to establish a “Parental Bill of Rights” that would grant parents:
“The right to inquire of the school or school personnel and to be truthfully and completely informed if their child is being identified by any name other than the name under which the child was enrolled in the school or any nickname that a reasonable person would understand to be commonly derived from such name, including under circumstances which a reasonable person would understand to be for the purpose of facilitating a change of gender or gender transition.
The right to inquire of the school or school personnel and to be truthfully and completely informed if the child is being identified or referred to by school district staff, as being of a gender other than that of which the child was identified or referred when enrolled.
The right to inquire of the school or school personnel and to be truthfully and completely informed if any school or school personnel are proceeding with any intervention to affirm or to provide an accommodation of a child’s asserted gender identity when the student’s gender identity is other than that of which the child was identified or referred when enrolled.”
SB 272 would effectively require school faculty to out students to their parents should they express a gender identity that contradicts their biological sex. This is a direct attack on trans existence. Schools should be a safe space for young people to learn not just about the world around them, but about the person they want to be. This comes alongside a fleet of bills across the country seeking to limit access to gender-affirming and reproductive care as a means for a desperate Republican Party to cling to relevancy by masking their lack of any means to improve the material conditions of their constituents. Instead of expanding the platform with new ideas to improve lives, conservative ideologies target proverbial ‘others’ in an attempt to generate political engagement based on hate and fear. Their marginalization of LGBTQ+ and feminist identities is as delusional as it is reprehensible. Opposing the Republican’s hateful agenda can be done with but a few keystrokes by leaving a virtual testimony to the New Hamshire legislature demanding that we protect trans kids, protect gender-affirming care, and protect reproductive freedoms statewide.
According to Scott, “Overall, just like, be an open person. If someone like, comes out to you, be supportive. Make yourself a safe person. Make the area that you occupy a safe space”. This sentiment is shared by NHYM Secretary Luke Misalle who added, “Community is a big part of it. Seeing people that you live close to all getting together, it gives this kind of feeling of unity… it’s empowering”. The day was rounded out with marching led by Scott whose chanting echoed through downtown a resounding, “My body, my choice”.
For more information or to get involved with future political action, NHYM meets Mondays at 6 pm in HUB 109 and can be found on Instagram @nhymplymouth.