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Signs, cosplay, and middle fingers: Abortion activists rally against Texas law

"Let's talk about the elephant in the womb."

Adam Rosenberg

on October 2, 2021

Signs, cosplay, and middle fingers: Abortion activists rally against Texas law

The grim future vision for women especially in "The Handmaid's Tale" has made it a popular protest symbol for abortion activists. Credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

"Let's talk about the elephant in the womb."

The anger that built up over the month of September finally boiled over on Saturday. It started on Sept. 1 with Texas effectively outlawing abortions using a mechanism that looks an awful lot like vigilante justice. Then, just a day later, the U.S. Supreme Court's move to uphold the ban while the law worked its way through the legal system further infuriated abortion activists, who saw an implicit undermining of the court's landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

In a reflection of just how deeply unpopular the Texas law is, a number of major companies, including the likes of Apple, Lyft, and Uber, pledged to support their Texas-based workers in various ways. With resistance continuing to grow, the Women's March planned an Oct. 2 Rally for Abortion Justice. While it's a nationwide effort, the D.C.-based centerpiece of the protest included a march right to the steps of the Supreme Court.

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Photos from the event show an energized public exercising their First Amendment right to let people like Texas governor Greg Abbott know that these kinds of unconstitutional legal games aren't going to fly. There's Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Handmaid's Tale cosplay. Upturned middle fingers. More clever protest signs than you can possibly imagine. The outrage is real.

There are plenty of visible antagonists in the conservative crusade against abortions, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Credit: SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images

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Coat hangars are provocative symbols of protest, referencing the history of women who have had to resort to self-terminating pregnancies in the midst of oppressive anti-abortion laws. Credit: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

Protest signs can take many forms. Here's one of the more inventive efforts, cheekily declaring that abortion justice is "not open for debate." Credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

In its call to action, the Women's March laid out the issue of the day in blunt term: "When the Supreme Court rejected an emergency request to block Texas's abortion ban, they effectively took the next step towards overturning Roe v. Wade. Simply put: We are witnessing the most dire threat to abortion access in our lifetime."

NARAL Pro-Choice America offered a similar sentiment on Twitter: "We’re done compromising. Abortion justice for all—when, where, and however we need it. Reproductive freedom is a fundamental freedom. That’s why we #RallyForAbortionJustice. Why do you? Tell us why you're rallying and drop a photo or two from today’s rally."

Disgraced former president Donald Trump may be out of power, but his influence on the Republican Party's platform continues to loom large. Credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

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It's not just Washington, D.C. where people are rallying. All across the United States, hundreds of rallies hosted thousands of protesters on Saturday, as concerned citizens gathered to let their voices be heard. This shouldn't be a surprise. Well over half the U.S. population is supportive of birthgivers having the right of access to abortions.

Here's a crowd that gathered in Los Angeles to support the Women's March Rally for Abortion Justice. Credit: PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

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There's plenty of angst about the Texas law IN Texas, too. Here's a view of the protest in the city of Austin. Credit: SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images

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One protester in Los Angeles attended the rally in Ruth Bader Ginsburg cosplay, a nod to the late Supreme Court justice who was an ardent defender of liberal views. Credit: AFP via Getty Images

Topics Activism Social Good

Adam Rosenberg

Adam Rosenberg is a Senior Games Reporter for Mashable, where he plays all the games. Every single one. From AAA blockbusters to indie darlings to mobile favorites and browser-based oddities, he consumes as much as he can, whenever he can.Adam brings more than a decade of experience working in the space to the Mashable Games team. He previously headed up all games coverage at Digital Trends, and prior to that was a long-time, full-time freelancer, writing for a diverse lineup of outlets that includes Rolling Stone, MTV, G4, Joystiq, IGN, Official Xbox Magazine, EGM, 1UP, UGO and others.Born and raised in the beautiful suburbs of New York, Adam has spent his life in and around the city. He's a New York University graduate with a double major in Journalism and Cinema Studios. He's also a certified audio engineer. Currently, Adam resides in Crown Heights with his dog and his partner's two cats. He's a lover of fine food, adorable animals, video games, all things geeky and shiny gadgets.