Utah women rally for reproductive rights, voter action

Taiko drummers performing on the south steps of the Utah State Capitol building. They played as attendees for a women's reproductive rights rally climbed up Capitol Hill. (Daegan Beus)

Green Wave Utah hosted a rally on Utah's Capitol Hill on Oct. 12, aiming to empower women to vote and stand for their rights to reproductive care.

On the hot Saturday afternoon, taiko drums rang across the south side of Capitol Hill and welcomed attendees to hear from local politicians and advocates. Members of the community showed their support for women’s reproductive rights in the state of Utah.

Darlene McDonald speaking on the south steps of Capitol Hill — Darlene McDonald, local social justice advocate, speaks on the south steps of the Utah State Capitol to attendees at the women's reproductive rights rally on Oct. 12. She gave a speech centered on the importance of the 14th amendment. (Daegan Beus)

Darlene McDonald — author, Democratic National Committeewoman and social justice advocate — spoke about the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, stating that this is not just an issue of the right to abortion.

“When you start chipping away at the 14th Amendment, when you start chipping away at the rights of citizenship, it gets a little bit easier to chip away at it because if you gave them the right to chip away the rights to reproductive healthcare, you start chipping away the rights of citizenship that was guaranteed under the 14th Amendment, not just for women, but for everyone,” McDonald said.

BYU alum and president of Young Democrats of Utah Emma Fetzer encouraged women to unite when their rights are under attack. Fetzer asked attendees “to talk to at least three people today and ask them if they have a plan to vote,” and to share their reason to vote.

The rally concluded with remarks from Caroline Gleich, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in the Utah 2024 race against Republican nominee Rep. John Curtis. In her speech, she cited her motivation for running for office as the change she wanted to see.

“Our current leaders have failed us,” Gleich said. “They are taking our state and our country in the wrong direction and we can't keep sending the same kind of political leaders if we want a different outcome; it's up to us now to be the leaders that we want to see.”

Caroline Gleich at women's rally — Democrat U.S. Senate nominee Caroline Gleich leads a chant, saying "We aren't going back." Community members gathered to support reproductive rights on Capitol Hill on Oct. 12, 2024. (Daegan Beus)

Throughout her address, inspired by Democrat presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris, Gleich led the group in chanting, "We're not going back," to honor the generations of women who battled for the rights they now enjoy.

“We need more women in the rooms where these decisions are made, and there is ample research that shows that when women lead everybody benefits,” Gleich said. “We will not tolerate going backwards.”

Attendee at the women's reproductive rights rally on the south steps of the Utah State Capitol Hill Oct. 12 — Green Wave Utah rally attendees gather on the south steps of Utah Capital. They shared messages on the power women have when their voice is heard at the ballot. (Daegan Beus)

Stephanie McKinnon, founder of Green Wave Utah — a recently founded organization founded by local Utahns inspired by representatives to get involved and to take action, standing for women’s reproductive rights — was pleased with how the rally turned out and encouraged anyone looking to get involved to come to the Women’s March on Nov. 2 at Washington Square in Salt Lake City.

"Everyone's voice is important and we want everyone heard,” McKinnon said. “It's not just about one group or one issue, it's about everyone being able to be represented and heard and that's just what I think was conveyed here today.”