Celebrities took to the streets of Los Angeles — and to social media — to support the March for Reproductive Rights on Saturday. The Women’s March coordinated more than 500 gatherings nationwide to voice support for reproductive rights and speak out against Texas’ recent law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy — before most women discover that they have conceived — with no exceptions for incest or rape.
Among the participants at the L.A. march were Alyssa Milano, Debbie Allen, Patricia and Rosanna Arquette, Christine Lahti and Raven-Symoné. The stars joined notables such as women’s rights attorney Gloria Allred, Planned Parenthood L.A. president Ken Lambrecht and Planned Parenthood’s Sue Dunlap.
“Enough is enough. It’s time to kick this whole movement into another gear,” Rosanna Arquette said in a statement. “We deserve sovereignty over our own bodies. To have come this far and to go backwards in 2021 is insanity. We will not allow it.”
University of Texas at Austin freshman and Dallas resident Paxton Smith also joined the march in L.A. Smith drew nationwide attention in June when she changed her valedictorian speech to give an impassioned plea against Texas’ restrictive legislation. “I cannot give up this platform to promote complacency and peace, when there is a war on my body and a war on my rights,” Smith said in her speech.
The college freshman recently spoke at Variety’s Power of Women event, in which she continued to encourage others to fight the new legislation. “The time for silence on the issue has come and gone,” Smith said. “There is no more time for complacency, there is no more time to wait and see what happens next, because the very thing we are afraid of is happening right now. And the unbearable truth is that could soon be the reality for far more than just Texans.”
Milano also voiced her support of the march on Twitter, writing: “Today I march for women. But men — I’ve got some words for you too so get ready.”
Today I march for women. But men—I’ve got some words for you too so get ready. #WomensMarch
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 2, 2021
See more shows of support below.
Abortion rights are human rights
💪🏿💪🏾💪🏽💪🏼💪🏻Find your march: https://t.co/p1ovEn1PtC#rallyforabortionjustice pic.twitter.com/d0o4yXHu6J
— Padma Lakshmi (@PadmaLakshmi) October 2, 2021
We won’t go backwards https://t.co/4haiVXNhe3
— Elizabeth Banks (@ElizabethBanks) September 30, 2021
#MARCHFORREPRODUCTIVERIGHTS tomorrow! I’ll be there. Join us! #WomensMarch2021 https://t.co/9JuAWcDdUX
— Christine Lahti (@ChristineALahti) October 1, 2021