Incomprehension among pro-abortion protesters: “They turn back the clock, I was also here 60 years ago”

At the demonstration, which is supported by, among others, knowledge center Rutgers, Amnesty International, Women Inc. and the organization behind the Dutch Women’s March, hundreds of demonstrators are present. The initiative for the demonstration came from Annemieke van Straalen. “As far as I’m concerned, the news is an attack on physical integrity and therefore also an attack on humanity. I feel emotionally affected by that.”

Watch out for abortion law

In addition to solidarity for American women who may lose their right to self-determination, there is also a call to guard for safe abortion law in the Netherlands. “It is happening in America, but I think it is all the more important that we realize in the Netherlands that it is not self-evident that we have access to safe abortion,” says van Straalen. “I know that we also have parties in the Netherlands that would like to see abortion disappear again, and I don’t want that.”

Noa van der Kaay, who had an abortion exactly 5 years ago today, received the news hard this week. “The news also made me reflect on how that influenced my choice. I think that would have made me choose to have an unsafe abortion.”

Mad Minas

Not only the young generation was present today. There were also some members of the Dolle Mina, an action group founded in 1969, who wanted to improve women’s rights through playful actions. “They just turn back the clock, I was here 60 years ago, but then with my stomach exposed. That is no longer possible, so I have now written it down,” says one of them. “I used to dance, now I sit. But I keep demonstrating.”

Although it hurts Van der Kaay that it is necessary again, she feels supported by the different generations demonstrating today. “I think it’s great that all those generations who fought for it are now also there to continue to protect that right.”