Pro-Roe protesters in front of Oklahoma Capitol. Photo by Christian Brown
OCCC student Alejandra Guadalupe Larios Barajas, age 23, attended the reproductive rights march on July 4th, 2022. Alejandra said at the first protest she had ever been to, “If we don’t protest about the laws that they’re making, how will they know that we don’t like those laws.”
She said she had heard about this protest online and was nervous about how many people were going to show up. Alejandra said, “I feel good because there are so many of us advocating for our rights and our bodies. I feel angry that all of us have to come out here and protest for our right to have access to our body’s autonomy.”
The Oklahoma State Capitols steps were cordoned off in the middle by a metal fence for construction. Supporters started to gather at the flagpole, and the sun stung every piece of skin not covered by the shade. The shade offered relief from the sun but not the heat; nevertheless, supporters kept showing up. At first, one can hear small conversations from a distance, but then the crowd gets big enough that you must shout to hold a dialogue.
Most supporters hold signs that say “my body my choice,” “abort the Supreme Court,” and “women’s rights are human rights.” A few leaders from various feminist groups from all over Oklahoma State gather by the Capitol flagpole. The leaders give the crowd a few instructions. One of them is a call for absolutely no violence while simultaneously asking the public to stay angry about what has happened with the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. When asked what she would say to women who are happy about Roe v. Wade being overturned, Alejandra said, “I hope there never comes a time in their lives where they need to have that choice but don’t have that choice. Because everyone always thinks, ‘well, it’s not happening to me.’ “
The women’s rights leaders tell the crowd that if counter-protesters show up, they should not engage them under any circumstances and follow whatever orders the police may give them.
The leaders carry megaphones and start chants as they begin the march toward the Chickasaw Baseball Stadium. Other protesters remind the other members to stay out of the road and on the sidewalk. Oklahoma City police guarded the first stop light approached by the marchers to guide traffic around the protesters.
People with medical bags were wandering around the marchers, offering water. Vehicles followed alongside the march, playing music and allowing those who could no longer walk a chance to participate if they felt they could walk no longer.
The march reached their destination, where the roads Johnny Bench Drive, Reno, and South Mickey Mantle Drive meet. A portion of the supporters walked back and forth on the crosswalk for a short time.
Most of the car-traffic present were police cars, armored vehicles, and arrest vans. A portion of the road was closed off as well. The police were gathered in the center of the road and had a calm but cautious demeanor.
One policeman held an orange shotgun used to shoot “bean bags” for non-lethal policing. One policeman began handing out batons, but it became apparent to the police that the crowd was not here to cause violence.
The police leave the center of the protesters and begin conversing with the women’s rights leaders. An Oklahoma City policewoman allows one of the women’s march leaders to speak into the loudspeaker from a cop car. She tells the crowd that they came here to do what they needed to and that it was time to go home.
Alejandra said after the protest, “The anger is still there. The anger didn’t go away. I still feel angry that all of us have to come out here and protest for our bodies.”
Anna, a co-founder of Pro-Choice OKC, was helping lead the event. When asked why they had chosen July 4th, Anna said, “It’s a great time to come out here. People are going to be here at Roger’s stadium. You know? Celebrating this ballgame. We knew there would be a lot of people out here for us to send them our message.” She said, when asked what it took to put a protest together, “What it takes to put this together is laws like this coming out. You know? Things that are restricting women’s bodies taking away our rights are causing this upheaval from the people of Oklahoma that these laws aren’t representing.”
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