Members of Greater Andover Indivisible (GAI) are joining a statewide week of protests focused on reproductive rights, with a local rally scheduled for Saturday, June 28, in North Andover. The demonstration is part of a coordinated effort by Indivisible groups across Massachusetts to oppose what organizers describe as regressive policy proposals related to abortion access and women’s rights.
The event, themed “Bigger Than Dobbs II: Stop the Republican War on Women,” marks the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which had federally protected abortion rights for nearly five decades. Over two dozen protests are expected to take place across the state during the week.
Locally, GAI is collaborating with the Feminist Action Team of the Indivisible Mass Coalition for the June 28 event. Participants will gather on the North Andover Town Common from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., alongside the weekly pro-democracy vigil hosted by the group “Concerned Citizens of North Andover.”
In a statement, GAI co-leader Judy Eskin said the rally aims to draw attention to what the group sees as a broad rollback of rights affecting women. “Abortion care is a vital part of women’s healthcare and a cornerstone of gender equality,” she said. “Limiting access to abortion is not the only problem; the current administration is making it harder for women who have changed their names to register to vote, and targeting women in several other ways.”
Organizers cite concerns about proposed national abortion restrictions, potential limits on contraception access, and what they describe as misinformation campaigns about the safety of medication abortion. According to the Guttmacher Institute, medication abortion accounted for 63% of all U.S. abortions in 2023.
Greater Andover Indivisible is a local affiliate of the Indivisible Mass Coalition, a statewide, all-volunteer network that supports grassroots civic engagement and public policy advocacy.
More information about the rally and registration details are available at mobilize.us. Local residents interested in learning more about GAI can visit indivisibleandoverma.com.