Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Real Name Campaign

Baton Rouge, LA – On May 24 at 3 p.m., protesters held the floor of the Louisiana Capitol lobby to defend transgender youth. They demanded that Governor Edwards veto SB 44, a bill that would ban trans girls from playing sports. Republicans pushed the bill through the House and Senate with significant support from Democrats.

New Orleans, LA – On May 7, over 100 people gathered on the steps across from Jackson Square in the French Quarter to fight for reproductive rights. The event was organized in response to a leaked draft decision from the Supreme Court that would overturn Roe v. Wade. Protesters carried signs and banners and raised their fists to chants of “Abortion is healthcare!” “We won’t go back!” and “Not the church, not the state! People must decide their fate!”

Los Angeles, CA – On May 3, several hundred people gathered for an emergency action at the U.S. Federal Courthouse in downtown LA to voice outrage at the draft majority opinion overturning the historic Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade.

Milwaukee, WI – On May 7, the Milwaukee International Women’s Day Coalition hosted an action to support reproductive rights and defend Roe v. Wade from the attack by the Supreme Court.

Dallas, TX – On Saturday, May 7, around 200 people gathered at Civic Garden park in downtown Dallas to protest the leaked Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, thus allowing over half of U.S. states to ban abortion completely. Chants present at the rally included “When abortion is under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back!” and “Healthcare is a human right!”

Denver, CO – On May 5, Students for a Democratic Society led a march of several dozen students and community members from Auraria Campus to the office of U.S. Senator Michael Bennet to deliver a list of demands to encode legal access to safe abortions for all.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 1500 students and community members took to the streets, May 4, in response to the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court indicating their intention to overturn Roe v. Wade, effectively stripping hundreds of millions of Americans from their reproductive rights. The large crowd gathered outside the Humphrey School of Public Affairs on the University of Minnesota campus before marching to U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar’s offices to demand that she take action to defend the abortion rights of her constituents. During the march, many cars passing by honked in approval and solidarity with the protest.

Baton Rouge, LA – On May 3, the Louisiana House of Representatives Education Committee struck down this state’s version of the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by a seven to four vote. This decision came after a mass upsurge of students, parents, teachers, social workers and LGBTQ+ community members demanding to shut the bill down.

Baton Rouge, LA – On April 29, 20 protesters in New Orleans and Baton Rouge held two coordinated rallies to protest anti-LGBT+ legislation. High school students, teachers, parents and social workers attended. They spoke out against Louisiana’s version of the Don’t Say Gay bill, and a ban on transgender girls playing sports. The rallies took place outside of two key state legislators’ offices to push them to vote no on both pieces of legislation.