The Planned Parenthood Generation Action Chapter at Binghamton University (PPGen Bing) promoted reproductive rights at their annual rally this past Saturday.

The PPGen has organized three such rallies since the fall of 2020, including this most recent one. During the event — hosted on the Peace Quad — attendees held protest signs and marched around the BU Brain. Rally coordinators orchestrated chants and encouraged participants to join in.

Numerous other student organizations, including the American Medical Student Association (AMSA), American Red Cross, New York Public Interest Research Group Fund (NYPIRG), American Medical Women’s Association and the Thurgood Marshall Pre-Law Society helped organize the event.

Emily Sadutto, vice president of PPGen Bing and a senior majoring in political science, said the primary mission of the organization is to provide students with comprehensive knowledge of reproductive rights.

“[PPGen’s] mission is to provide comprehensive sexual education to [BU] students, as well as to advocate for reproductive justice,” Sadutto said. “Our rally, like all our events, is organized with that mission in mind. It is extremely important for students to not only know about their reproductive rights, but also advocate for them.”

PPGen is a nationwide nonprofit organization that connects identities and issues among youth and society through advocacy for reproductive freedom, according to its website. The group has over 350 chapters in college campuses across the country. PPGen hosts numerous events, including youth conferences, leadership development activities, voter registration programs and rallies, with the mission of providing the public with knowledge about individual rights regarding gender representation and reproductive decisions.

During the rally, coordinators discussed the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, passed on June 24, 2022. According to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling, the Constitution does not grant the right to abortion. The ruling grants individual states the power to regulate any aspect of abortion.

Before PPGen Bing was established, many current members of their E-Board organized a virtual women’s march in October 2020. Sadutto described how there was a push for establishing an event where participants march due to the lack of such events in the Binghamton area.

“Our first march was virtual because of COVID-19, so we organized a lineup of different speakers to talk about gender equality and reproductive rights,” Sadutto wrote in an email. “While we still have speakers, the most popular part of our rally is marching around the Brain with our signs!”

PPGen Bing is also raising money to donate to abortion clinics through their Instagram page, to raise awareness on both the cause and individuals who may have to experience the intervention of abortion laws.

Yasmeen Gilani, the equity outreach coordinator of PPGen Bing and a junior majoring in anthropology, expressed her belief that students should learn about reproductive rights and how decisions are made by officials in power.

“Regarding everything that did happen this summer — the Supreme Court did overturn it,” Gilani said. “It just shows that we can’t take anything for granted. And there are people making decisions in higher power, like in the case of abortion, that don’t really have a clear idea on what individuals that are faced with circumstances that may require abortion prerogatives in health care.”

Abbey Scherer, a rally attendee and junior majoring in social work, said it is important to raise awareness about New York State abortion laws, especially among BU students, in order to elicit change.

“I think it’s important to reinforce why people are angry about this issue,” Scherer said. “Having our march is [a way] to provide education to students, but also to encourage people to stand for their individual rights, and understand why we fight in the first place.”