A march and rally to support abortion access in Geneva took place on Friday.
Local groups held a rally to demand health care providers offer abortion access at their Geneva locations.
“Did you know that abortion services are not available in any Geneva health facilities? And that includes medication abortions? Join us for a march and rally to demand that Finger Lakes Health and Finger Lakes Medical Associates make the necessary changes to provide abortion access at their Geneva Locations,” said the Geneva Women’s Assembly in a Facebook post announcing the event.
Organziers gathered outside of HWS Scandling Center
The march begins on Friday, August 26 at 6 p.m. at Scandling Campus Center on the Hobart and William Smith Colleges campus.
Organizers will be standing outside Scandling Center beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday for anyone who wishes to write a postcard to the FLH Board of Directors in demand of “abortion access now.”
Participants who want to join the march but prefer not to walk can follow behind the marchers by vehicle.
Related: Local, regional reaction to Roe v. Wade getting overturned by SCOTUS (video)
Rural areas lack access to abortions, despite state leadership calling New York a “safe haven” for abortion services
Abortion is still legal in New York.
The U.S. Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe v. Wade in June gave individual states the ability to regulate or ban abortion. Abortion has been legal under New York State law since 1970.
Despite abortion rights being protected in New York, said organizers, “much of rural New York, including Geneva, lacks the services the state claims to provide.”
Geneva’s “March, Rally, Rage for Abortion Access” is co-sponsored by the Geneva Women’s Assembly and the regional branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, according to Finger Lakes Daily News.
The groups are urging Finger Lakes Health and Finger Lakes Medical Associates, the major local health care providers, to provide abortion services.
FLH operates Geneva General Hospital, while FLMA provides health services at Hobart and Willam Smith.
For more information on Friday’s march and rally, check out this Facebook event page.
