Are You Striking for Women’s Rights on Friday? Learn Why #DayWithoutUs Is Asking You To 

MICHIGAN–Organizers across the country are asking people to stay home from work and school this Friday, Sept. 30, in response to Roe v. Wade’s overturn.

“Day Without Us is a day of disruption, learning, activation and community building,” said Tiffany Flowers, the campaign directory for Day Without Us, in a press release. “The current conditions require that we exercise our power in both new and familiar ways.”

What is Day Without Us? 

Day Without Us is the name of the campaign behind this Friday’s stay-at-home protest. If it sounds familiar, it might be because the phrase “day without us” has been used across the world by people  protesting violence and oppression against women by striking for a day to show the work every person offers to society.

This Friday, the campaign encourages everyone to stay home from work and school to attend online events about reproductive freedom and community organizing, hosted by organizers and activists.

Am I protected by law if I don’t go into work? 

Most likely, no. 

According to the National Labor Relations Board, a strike is legal and protected if employees are striking for economic reasons or to protest an unfair labor practice. Since this is not against a specific employer for either reason, this is not protected by federal law. 

What’s the motivation? 

Day Without Us is calling for a “teach-in,” in response to the June decision by the US Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. This Friday is the three-month anniversary of that decision. Organizers with the campaign said the teach-in is to showcase bodily autonomy. 

“Our bodies that our government exerts more control over daily fuel and drive all of the systems that keep this country running,” Flowers said. “We will remove ourselves from our daily routines and join a mass teach-in to understand how the fight for reproductive justice is a fight for all of our freedoms—and learn how to plug into the fight from where you are.”

Friday also marks the 46th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, which blocks Medicaid funding for abortion services, and is one week before the next Supreme Court session begins. The Supreme Court is expected to make even more landmark decisions this session, namely regarding voting rights, the First Amendment, and bodily autonomy.  

“#DayWithoutUs is a time to pause, acknowledge our collective grief, anxiety, and exhaustion,” the campaign said in a statement.