‘Get out of my uterus’: Valley groups, activists respond to potential overturn of abortion rights
Outrage and support are pouring in from around the valley to the leaked document showing the U.S. Supreme Court may be ready to overturn abortion rights.
Local political activist Amalia Deaztlan, president of Democratic Women of the Desert, called it an attack on women.
"It's really upsetting for me," she said. "We should be able to make a decision based on our knowledge, our health and what we want to do with our doctors. Five people in the Supreme Court should not make that decision for us."
For Deaztlan, it's even more personal than that. She had an abortion herself years ago, after having her first daughter with her husband.
"I had an IUD and it did not work," she said. "I got pregnant. When I went to see the doctor he said, 'You have an infection.'"
Doctors told Deaztlan if she didn't have surgery, she risked never getting pregnant again, and it could even be deadly. It was then she made the difficult decision to have the baby removed. Deaztlan later gave birth to two more children.
"It is my choice," she said. "Get out of my uterus, thats not your business," she said.
Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest has 19 health centers across three counties, including Riverside County, San Diego County and Imperial County. There are two locations in the Coachella Valley.
Darrah DiGiorgio Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, said the organization is already seeing an influx of people from conservative states requesting care here in Southern California.
“We're already seeing a slow and steady increase in patients from states like Arizona, like Texas and elsewhere, who have needed to get access to abortion care in our affiliates throughout Coachella Valley," DiGiorgio Johnson said. "We will see that dramatically and significantly increase when a decision such as this is actually made... We’ve been preparing and we will continue to prepare. We are ready to take care of people regardless of what they need.”
Planned Parenthood officials are urging people to get involved – for more information, head to plannedparenthood.org/get-involved.
Joy Miedecke, president of the East Valley Republican Women Patriots said she is pro-life because it's the baby's right to be born and live.
"Everybody has a right at conception to their life. You are a being, you are a human being," Miedecke said. "It is not fair for a court or even your mother to say you have no right to life because it is not convenient."
In instances of rape or incest, Michelle Cates with valley organization Partners Against Violence said survivors must have options to regain control of their lives.
"The overturning of Roe v. Wade would significantly limit access options and choice to women who have already been the victims of power and control," Cates said.
In protest, pro-choice women in the valley are speaking out and urging action nation wide.
"I hope that women around the country get together and say, 'You have no right to make that decision for me,'" Deaztlan said.
