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Thousands of Australians took part in raucous nationwide protests on Saturday in response to the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn women’s constitutional right to abortion. The Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 last week, restoring individual states’ ability to prohibit abortion. Around 15,000 women and men paraded through Melbourne in Australia’s largest rally, with placards reading “I borrowed this sign from my grandma” and “Everyone claims the chance to bodily autonomy.”
“We are here to advocate for female issues in Australia and globally. Millions of women in the United States have already had their rights revoked, and we are outraged “Liz Walsh, one of the protest organisers in Melbourne, said
Abortion laws in Australia, as in the United States, are set by states. New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, only legalised abortion in 2019 – making it the country’s most populous state to do so.
The time limit for accessing surgical abortion and providing abortion services after conception varies by state, with some states providing more public health care access than others. Private abortion clinics are prohibited in South Australia.
Protesters across the country demanded easier access.
“I’ve come out earlier in solidarity with women and girls in America, protesting and advocating for their right to choose, and that abortion is healthcare, and every woman deserves a right to that,” said Geraldine Bilston, a Melbourne protestor.
