WACO, Texas — The US Supreme Court has officially done it. Friday morning they overturned Roe v. Wade, signaling the end of federal abortion rights and other rights guaranteed in the court opinion.
Texas had a set of trigger laws in place banning abortion, should the Supreme Court overturn the decision.
Attorney General Ken Paxton took to Twitter to call yesterday a "national holiday" celebrating a big win for the pro-life cohort in Texas.
Here in Waco, the decision was not met well by a group of activists who say the Supreme Court is abusing their power and taking away women's bodily autonomy.
The overturning of Roe v. Wade does not take away abortion rights, but rather makes the question of abortion rights, and other rights, a state matter.
Waco pro-choice activist Lilu Dyan says for her, being a woman in Texas, yesterday confirmed her biggest fears.
"Texas has been moving toward this for quite some time. It's something we knew was coming," Dyan said. "But it feels different when it actually happens. You don't know what to think. But the reality is, the extremist Supreme Court is just doing whatever they please."
Dyan, a mother of two twin boys and a daughter, says now the future of our young women in Texas is at stake. No longer will they have access to safe and legal abortions and other healthcare options.
Even so, she says she and others will not stand down.
"Today, it's a reality. Today, we and other women across this country are letting our Supreme Court of the United States know that we are not bowing down to this."
Dyan and other activists stood outside the McLennan County Courthouse chanting "my body, my choice," and other pro-choice rally calls.
Dyan says this is not just a fight for women, though. She says men need to stand on the frontline joining the fight.
Fellow pro-choice supporter Sean Noranbrack, who now fears for his daughter, says yesterday's decision is devastating.
"What happens to our future generation, our young girls, our daughters, if they get raped?" Noranbrack said. "What about my daughter, if she gets attacked and raped and impregnated, she's going to be forced to carry on that child and that memory forever."
The group stood outside the courthouse for one hour, telling stories, reminding one another the importance of voting, and all in all empowering one another as they prepare to fight back.
Dyan says she is frustrated to be a woman in Texas today, but hopes one day love and compassion will win the day.
"People who don't understand it. I don't hate them. People who are against everything that we stand for. I don't hate them. I just pray that they one day see compassion for people who are in a different state than they are in."