About 100 people gathered at Susan B. Anthony Square in Rochester Saturda for the Rochester Women's March.
The protest and march, part of a national call-to-action in solidarity with the Women's March organization, was held to oppose the appointment of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. Participants are asking congressional members to vote against filling Justice Ruth Ginsburg's seat before the Nov. 3 election. The demonstrators were calling for members of Congress to support a woman's right to choose, Black lives matter, LGBTQ rights, and 'healthcare for all.'
Organizer Ashley Teague said many people are concerned with Barrett's appointment because they feel it will negatively affect the country.
"It's not only going to affect women's reproductive rights, it's gonna affect everybody," Teague said. "It's gonna affect people who already have underlying health issues because they're going to slash the Affordable Care Act."
Protester Jinny Pschierer held up sign up that read, "You think wearing a mask violates your civil rights? Try 40 weeks of pregnancy and hours of delivery against your will." Pschierer said she doesn't think Barrett will separate her religious beliefs from her duties as a Supreme Court justice.
"Some of her beliefs, I think, are fairly radical," Pschierer said. "You know, things like in vitro fertilization talking about arresting people who participate in that, people who want to have a family."
Another participant, Sarah Dumrese, came to the protest with her family.
"We're just here to show that women have the power to make change not just in our homes but in our communities in our neighborhoods and in our nation," said Dumrese.
