The rain didn’t stop Planned Parenthood Generation (PPGen), a student group advocating for reproductive justice, from holding a Reproductive Rights rally this past Sunday.

Starting at 1 p.m., PPGen held the rally amid several important infractions against individual rights, including bodily autonomy issues, like abortion, and acceptance of the queer community, according to their Instagram. Participants started at the Binghamton University Peace Quad, before marching past the University Union and around the Brain. The group collaborated with other student organizations, including the Thurgood Marshall Pre-Law Society, the Indian International Student Union, Domestic and Oppressive Violence Education (DOVE), the Q Center, the Latin American Student Union (LASU), the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA), the Red Cross Club, the College Democrats, the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG), the Abortion Advocacy Coalition and Support Empathy Empowerment Kindness (SEEK).

Some hand-painted signs present at the rally said “you can’t ban abortions, you can only ban safe abortions,” “their body, their choice” and “mind your own uterus.”

Sophia Panos, the organization’s president and a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, described the rally’s intentions before the march began.

“I think everyone is in agreement that abortion is health care and so we as women and additional people with uteruses would really like to exercise the right to be able to do what we want with our own bodies,” Panos said. “We’re just trying to raise awareness [to] make sure we can keep abortion covered [as health care] in New York [state].”

Members in collaborating organizations gave speeches about the effects that anti-choice advocacy have had on the bodily autonomy of individuals with uteruses. Each speaker brought a different perspective, including the effects of reproductive health care on the Latin American community and the importance of being registered to vote.

The rally follows a wave of student activism on campus, including an instance of protestors demonstrating against an anti-abortion table in the Glenn G. Bartle Library and a recent multicultural voting fair, organized by the Student Association’s vice president for student success.

Emily DePietro, PPGen’s vice president and a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, explained that rallies require a lot of planning and coordination but are an important step in education for the public.

“A lot of collaboration with fellow student organizations [go] into planning bigger events such as this one.” DePietro wrote in an email. “ For the past month or so we’ve had our amazing equity & outreach coordinator and communications coordinator communicating with other student organizations in order to set up [collaborations] and event speakers”

After the speeches were met with support, attendees raised signs and began to chant as participants rallied behind PPGen organizers. Marchers were mostly met with positivity, as onlookers cheered from their cars in support and others giving a thumbs-up. One individual expressed disagreement saying “abortion is murder,” during the rally, but caused no further disturbance.

Atticus Fauci, the president of the College Democrats and a sophomore majoring in economics, expressed support for the rally and student activism, in general.

“[It is] important for students’ voices to be heard and there is no better opportunity than gathering, speaking and exchanging ideas.” Fauci said. “Especially about something that’s so important to clearly [many] students here on campus, as well.”

Madeline Goldberg, the communications coordinator for PPGen and a senior majoring in social work, described the relevance of the rally, given today’s political landscape.

“It’s really important that we all gathered here to advocate for reproductive justice [and] reproductive rights because of the [overturning] of Roe v. Wade.” Goldberg said. “It was awesome to hear everyone speak … with a minority focus, because that’s who it’s hitting the hardest.”