By Abigail Cloutier
While students protested vaccine mandates across campus, an anti-abortion group took up residence near DeBartolo Hall on Monday, Sept. 27. Created Equal is an anti-abortion religious organization based in Columbus that routinely travels to college campuses to protest abortion rights.
The group had a sign that read “Abortion victim photos ahead” and showed graphic images and depictions of abortion.
“Graphic imagery has been very effective in past human injustice. We believe that is very effective as well, to change the public’s view on abortion,” said Created Equal spokesperson Eva Frank.
The group also had signs for a “confidential post-abortion helpline.”
“We are not directly connected to those, but they can probably find counseling options near them,” Frank said.
Frank also said the group wanted more restrictive abortion laws than the law recently passed in Texas, which is one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. The group does not believe there should be exceptions for medical issues, sexual assault or incest.
“If we could pass legislation that would completely ban elective abortion, we would support that,” Frank said.
Many students passing by refused pamphlets and refused to speak to the organization.
“I think it’s ridiculous. I think that we should all have a right to our own bodies and the fact that we’re just having a man tell us what to do, it’s kind of ridiculous,” sophomore biology major Aryss Lindsey said.
When asked about the Texas abortion laws, she said, “I didn’t even think it was possible for someone to do that. I think it’s pure evil and pretty cruel.”
Lindsey said she didn’t like that the group was on campus or the graphic images they were showing, but acknowledged the free speech rights that allowed them to be there.
“I feel like if they’re trying to scare us, it’s not going to scare anyone. We still know what we want to do with our bodies, and they’re trying to give away their flyers. That’s ridiculous because no one wants their flyers, and we all know what we’re doing with our bodies and your pictures aren’t going to scare us,” Lindsey said.