Hundreds of protestors came out to the state Capitol in force against legislation they say is a full on assault on women's rights. They're upset about a bill that mandates women seeking an abortion first get a vaginal ultrasound, but they're even more upset about what's called "personhood" legislation.
For much of the silent protest, registered nurse Eileen Davis let her Aspirin bottle do the talking. She said, "I'm concerned that this, Aspirin, is all that I will be able to offer patients as a suggestion to contraception."
Davis says personhood legislation could outlaw common forms of contraception. "They are undermining the patient provider relationship," she stated.
Capitol and state police officers, there to ensure order, estimated the crowd to be more than 1,000 people - mostly women, some men.
Personhood would define life as starting at conception. It passed the House of Delegates last week and is now making its way through the state Senate.
None of the protesters carried posters. Few spoke, even when spoken to. Messages on shirts conveyed the message. Richmonder Molly Vick's shirt read "Say no to state mandated rape." Another woman wore a t-shirt calling out the bill's sponsor Republican Delegate Bob Marshall.
"This is not full of the boogey men that the opponents claim it is," said Marshall.
He says personhood simply gives pregnant women who suffer a miscarriage because of someone else's negligence a new course of legal action. He says the protests are misguided.
"That's an emotional response," stated Marshall. "It's not a historically based response. It's not based on the history in Missouri since 1986 and they really should look at experience instead of just an emotional reaction."
But it's the emotional reaction of women across Virginia that Davis hopes will help defeat the bill. "Women are not happy and Governor McDonnell needs to know that women are not happy - rational, reasonable women who don't consider themselves political are not happy," she said.
Protestors chose Monday to rally because the bill that would require a vaginal ultrasound before an abortion was up for a vote in the House. But before anyone could debate it, one delegate requested it be passed by for the day.
