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Pro-choice advocates rally on Roe v. Wade reversal anniversary, pro-life advocates celebrate

Both sides are sharing where Georgia is a year later.

ATLANTA — The debate over abortion continues one year after the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe vs. Wade.

Since the ruling in Dobbs versus Jackson Women's Health Organization, 14 states have banned or severely restricted abortion. 

And those on both sides of the debate used Saturday's anniversary to state their case for either reinstating or eliminating the medical procedure. 

Each side brings up varying emotions depending on who you ask.

Julia Callahan is a pro-choice advocate and co-founder of Macon's Middle Georgia for Choice. 

"We are still angry. We are still here to protest. We are still fighting for women's rights," Callahan said. "This is a human rights issue."

Suzanne Guy is singing a different song. She's a pro-life advocate with Life Initiatives and Values.

"Absolute gratitude and joy that a terrible wrong has been made right by our Supreme Court," Guy said. 

Guy sees this as a time to celebrate that thousands of children were brought to term.

"Thousands of men and women as well will be spared the regret and trauma of abortion," Guy said.

Pro-choice advocate with Amplify Georgia, Roula Abisamra sees this as a setback that continues to take away rights from women.

"Abortion access was not where it needed to be even before the overturn of Roe versus Wade," Abisamra said. "With Roe in place, there were people in our communities that were still not served."

Abisamra says things have only gotten worse since the Dobb's decision. Her organization has spent the past year trying to give women resources. 

"Georgia enforced an abortion ban just a month after that and that abortion ban really cuts people off from access to care," Abisamra said.

Guy just left Washington D.C., fighting to enact the heartbeat bill.

"Abortion is not healthcare," Guy argues.

Guy says in order to make progress, both sides have to come together to lay out the best options possible for mothers who have to make a difficult decision.

"Why don't some of the key leaders, why don't we sit down together and talk about how can we really help women?," Guy said. "How can we offer them real solutions to the very real problems and complex situations that they find themselves in?"

    

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