On 50th Anniversary of Roe, Denverites March for Abortion Justice, Women’s Rights: See Moments Here
A protester chants carries a sign saying “I am woman, hear me roar” during the 2023 Women’s March on the 16th Street Mall. The line, originally from the song “I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy, is commonly used in abortion rights protests.
January 23, 2023
Spurred by last year’s Roe v. Wade reversal, Iranian Mahsa Amini protests, and anti-trans legislation across the United States, a few hundred Denverites rallied around the Colorado Capitol on Jan. 22 for the 2023 Women’s March.
The first Women’s March was held in January 2017 in response to Trump’s inauguration. This year, the nationwide march was held on the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade in Madison, Wisconsin. Denver’s satellite march was organized by K.C., a recent Denver transplant from Louisiana.
“Rallies are great, they’re important,” K.C., 39, said. “The visibility is incredibly important, but it’s equally important to get people together that want to continue action, and give people a course of action.”
After the rally ended, K.C. spoke with marchers, many of whom wanted to remain in contact for further community organizing. Though not affiliated with any organizations in Colorado, K.C. worked with the ACLU and Planned Parenthood in Louisiana, and helped found Reproductive Freedom Acadiana.
“After the Dobbs decision, I connected with people…and started a grassroots local organization that is still going,” K.C. said.
After moving to Colorado in July, K.C. said she wanted to get more connected and involved in local movements, which led her to events like this Women’s March.
Though not officially affiliated with the Women’s March organization, K.C. had several volunteer chants leaders and marshals, who protected protesters from traffic. One of these marshals was Michael Hommel, who led marchers down the 16th Street Mall, made buttons, and advertised the march on Facebook. Another volunteer was Sierra Mitchell, 24, who called herself “a loud voice” in the protest.
“It’s kind of frustrating sitting at home and doing nothing and you kind of just wallow in your own self pity,” Mitchell said. “So my way to battle that was to get active.”
For most of the volunteers and protesters, this was not their first march. Many, like volunteer Jordan Eisel, had been there in May, when the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade had leaked, and again in late June, when the official decision came out.
“I got off work early, and I was here,” Eisel, 30, said of the June 24 protests. “For me, it’s about bodily autonomy more than anything. The government can’t take organs from a dead person to keep someone else alive. They can’t use my uterus for the same reason.”
But others were there for reasons besides abortion justice. Outside the Capitol, demonstrators from Woman, Life, Freedom, who protest the ongoing theocracy, oppression, and unethical executions of activists in Iran, shouted chants for other protesters, held signs, and waved Iranian flags. The leader of the group, Anir Tosh, had a megaphone that could be heard two blocks away.
“I’m originally from Iran. I came here in 1978,” Tosh, 63, said. “When you live in this great country, you learn about democracy. [I] want to transfer this democracy to the other part of the world, because democracy is great.”
Regardless of their reason for marching, protesters were enthusiastic and united. K.C. and her volunteers expressed gratitude for people showing up so well, even with how quickly the march was organized.
“I’m so grateful that so many people came out and it was a great turnout and it was good to see especially with such short notice,” Mitchell said. “It gives me hope.”
See moments from the march below.
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Before the march, people from all over Colorado spoke for the crowd.
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Protesters gather for speeches before the march.
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Protesters hear speeches before marching.
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Several dogs stole the show, including this Samoyed who bore a sign saying “Snowdogs for abortion.”
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A protester raises a sign and displays it to passing traffic. Occasionally, passing cars would honk their horns to show support for the rally.
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Making voices heard was a common theme among marchers and speakers. This protester held a sign saying “It is our turn to speak. It is our turn to be heard!”
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Protesters march down Lincoln Street, hoisting signs and yelling chants. Protesters stuck to the sidewalks along the march route.
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Some marchers pointed out the hypocrisy of abortion bans. This marcher, bearing a sign declaring “If 40 million men lost their bodily autonomy, there’d be WAR,” advised fellow protesters to donate to states in need via abortionfunds.org.
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Marchers held colorful signs. Some, like this protester’s, depicted art of female anatomy, to enforce a message of bodily autonomy.
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Volunteers handed out “Defend Choice” signs at the beginning of the rally. Defend Choice has been a major movement organization which has sponsored abortion rights protests across the country.
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Protesters cross Colfax Avenue away from the Capitol.
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Volunteer Sierra Mitchell, 24, shouts call-and-response chants into a megaphone.
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In the 2023 Denver Women’s March, protesters marched away from the Capitol on the 16th Street Mall before looping back again.
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A marcher holds a sign declaring “We will not go back,” referencing a time before abortion protection. Many protesters held signs against the reversal of Roe v. Wade.
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K.C., 39, from Louisiana, organized the march despite not being affiliated officially with local organizations. “It’s…important to get people together that want to continue action, and give people a course of action,” K.C. said.
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Protesters chant back at march leaders. Some chants included “My body, my choice,” “Tell me what democracy looks like: this is what democracy looks like,” and others.
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Volunteers Michael Hommel and Sierra Mitchell lead the protest down Colfax Avenue.
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Signs called out religious and legal hypocrisy surrounding abortion.
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A man lifts a “Defend Choice” sign outside the Capitol.
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The Colorado Capitol Building looms down the block as the march makes a return journey to its starting point.
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Marchers return to the Capitol.
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Anir Tosh, an Iranian immigrant from Woman, Life, Freedom, led protesters in chants against the Iranian government. “We’re working for women’s rights in general,” Tosh, 63, said. “We come here every week for support of them.”
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Signs posted on a traffic light post encourage passing cars to sound their horns and support the protesters.
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An Iranian protester waves his flag and makes peace signs at cars. After the Women’s March ended, a group of peace advocates gathered outside the capitol building with flags and posters.
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