COLUMBIA, S.C. — Nearly two years after the Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade, pro-life supporters gathered at the South Carolina State House on Saturday to advocate for stronger anti-abortion legislation.
The rally, organized by Hayden Laye, took place just ahead of the anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision, which led to the historic overturning of Roe v. Wade on June 24, 2022.
“The pro-life movement achieved something many thought we would never do: we overturned Roe v. Wade, ending almost 50 years of legal all-term abortion across the United States,” Laye declared. “We are here to rally for that victory and the passage of stronger protections for life from lawmakers here in South Carolina."
Ashley Lawton, a speaker with Save the One, attended the rally to share her personal story and advocate for stricter abortion laws. Conceived in rape, “Pro-life legislation often times we have cases of exceptions and putting a face with that exception often times changes hearts and minds and so I firmly believe with my testimony of being conceived in rape, that my face can be put to that exception and hopefully it will change the hearts and minds of those making decisions in our state or across the nation to realize you are either 100% pro-life meaning all lives or you're not pro-life at all.”
News19 asked Planned Parenthood for an interview regarding the second anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned. Molly Rivera, a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, provided a statement criticizing the impact of recent anti-abortion legislation:
“In the two years since the Supreme Court opened the floodgates to state laws that criminalize abortion, millions of people across the South have suffered at the hands of politicians abusing their power to control their constituents' private medical decisions, including right here in South Carolina. Time and time again, these lawmakers have ignored pleas from people whose lives have been put in danger because of our state’s abortion ban and mounting evidence that a majority of South Carolinians believe abortion should be legal. Instead, they have doubled down and have promised to pass a total ban on abortion when they return to Columbia. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic will continue to do everything we can to provide quality, compassionate care, respect people’s self-determination, and give the people of South Carolina back their lives.”
Laye concluded the rally by emphasizing his commitment to pushing for stronger anti-abortion legislation in the upcoming legislative session, “I want to see abortion abolished in the state of South Carolina."
Lawmakers are set to return to the State House in January to address this and other legislative matters.