Hundreds gathered in Capitol Square on Tuesday for the “March 4th Democracy,” protest march, a show of resistance aimed against the Trump administration’s policies that threaten reproductive rights. 

The march, organized by 50501, stood as a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for women’s bodily autonomy. The march, one of many across state capitals nationwide, highlighted growing concerns over the erosion of freedoms many thought were secure.

 Pixie E. Curry joins protesters Tuesday in a march from Monroe Park to Capitol Square in Richmond.
 

Jess Anderson, a Democratic candidate for Virginia’s 71st District, addressed attendees in Capitol Square, pointing out that Virginia is the only Southern state yet to enact any form of abortion ban since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2017.

“We have so many different neighbors that are traveling here and are even becoming criminalized, to seek out reproductive access that is their right and their bodily autonomy to have,” Anderson said.

The Right to Contraception Act, which would have guaranteed Virginians’ rights to access birth control, was passed by the General Assembly last year but vetoed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Virginians will vote on a constitutional amendment to guarantee reproductive freedom in November.

Rae Pickett, a representative of Planned Parenthood Advocates for Virginia, warned the crowd that the Republican Party intends to use the Comstock Act to eliminate access to abortion medications and codify the Hyde Amendment, potentially restricting abortion access for low-income individuals.

“But we are tougher. We are stronger than any attack and we will keep fighting for the future we deserve,” Pickett said. “And while we fight at the federal level, we must also focus on the state and local levels where we have the power to make change, where we can enshrine reproductive freedom in Virginia’s Constitution.”

Cynthia Beck, who studied mathematics at Texas Tech in the early 1970s, shared her experience as one of the few women in her classes. She recalled how women in certain careers were often discouraged, a reflection of the gender norms of the time.

The 50501 movement also opposes the SAVE Act, a bill that would require people to provide proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, in order to vote. Beck pointed out the bill’s vague language could pose difficulties for married women whose last names differ from those on their identification documents.

“If you’re married and you don’t have all your documentation, your marriage certificate or your divorce papers, and your birth certificate to prove that you’ve taken your married name, then you’re still that person and you’re a citizen and you have the right to vote,” Beck said.

Despite the progress women have made since her time at Texas Tech, Beck expressed concern that the Trump administration is attempting to undo those advancements. “They’re going after everything. Wanting us to just be brood mares, just keep our mouths shut and go back to the old ways, where women were absolutely miserable,” she said.