Chicago for Abortion Rights held a virtual general meeting Thursday to reflect on the abortion rallies it sponsored this month in Chicago and Evanston as well as discuss plans for the months ahead. 

A network of activists and community members, CFAR focuses on promoting abortion rights in the Chicago area. 

Linda Loew, a member of CFAR, said she was content with the turnout at the Oct. 8 rally in Chicago, estimating the number to be between 1,500 and 2,000 people.

“I want to place our turnout into perspective,” Loew said. “This is an election year and a lot of attention is on that. Many of the population did not take (it) seriously that we were actually going to see an overturn of Roe.”

Loew added that she was surprised to see another Chicago march protesting for women’s rights in Iran on the same day. She said the two marches eventually converged, and it sent a powerful message for protecting women’s rights globally, not just in the U.S. 

Nancy Rosenstock, another member of CFAR, said the rally in Chicago was a part of the national organization Women’s March, which hosted protests for women’s rights in cities across the country, such as New York City, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. However, the march in Chicago was largely organized by local activist groups like CFAR.

“(The Women’s March) is not much of a force here,” Rosenstock said. “They tended to be smaller and more of an electoral strategy approach. So in that sense, our (march) was very good.”

As for the Evanston protest on Oct. 16, Rosenstock said she was especially delighted to see Evanston Township High School students participating. 

With regard to the upcoming midterm election, members of CFAR discussed the organization’s plan for the coming month. 

Cathy Gutekanst, a CFAR member, discussed Proposal 3, a ballot measure that would amend the Michigan state constitution to include a right to “reproductive freedom” and potentially invalidate existing restrictions on reproductive health access.

“Once Roe was overturned, there was a 1930s law that would take (its) place, although Planned Parenthood and several other organizations have sued,” Gutekanst said. “Several reproductive rights organizations have combined in order to put (Proposal 3) on the ballot.”

Gutekanst said CFAR is planning on participating in rallies in support of Proposal 3 in Lansing, the state capital, and in Holland, Michigan.

The organization also passed two motions: one to endorse an upcoming rally by the Gay Liberation Network in light of a303 Creative LLC v. Elenis — a recently argued case regarding private businesses’ right to reject LGBTQ+ customers — and another motion to organize a political education event with Iranian activists.

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