Who decides?

About 40 IU students traveled by bus to Washington, D.C., last weekend for "March for Women's Lives," a national event where more than 1.5 million people marched to voice their opposition to government attacks to women's reproductive rights and health. The demonstrators rallied in support of numerous women's issues, including better access to health care, the ending of the Global Gag Rule, family planning and an end to the gender wage gap.\nThe National Organization for Women was one of the supporters of the rally. In a statement made before the march, NOW President Kim Gandy urged people to participate in the rally.\n"Abortion rights are under attack, and it is time for us to fight back," Gandy said. "I urge every person in the country who cares about women's reproductive rights and health ... to march ..."\nThe IU Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance has been planning for the march for about a year. Students paid for about half the cost of the trip themselves, and the other half was funded through donations from individuals, families, faculty and local businesses.\nJunior Stephanie Whiteside, the communications coordinator and community outreach chair for FMLA, also traveled to Washington, for the march.\n"I think it was amazing and ran very smoothly," Whiteside said. "I haven't met a person yet who didn't think it was the most amazing event of their lives."\nWhiteside said she helped plan the trip to the march because she felt it is important to draw more attention to women's health issues. She also said she hopes the government and policy makers will take notice of the demonstrators.\n"They need to know we want our freedom and rights and nothing less," Whiteside said. "Through this march, I hope we can put into motion better policies for the access of healthcare to women living in poverty, an end to the Global Gag Rule, freedom of choice and an end to the fear that our choice will be taken away."\nAlmost a week after the march, FMLA President and junior Aran Mordoh remains excited about the events she witnessed and the people she met in Washington.\n"It was amazing to see so many people come out to support women's rights," Mordoh said. "There were so many people on the streets marching that it overflowed onto the sidewalks."\nLike Mordoh, Whiteside is proud to have been a part of the march. \n"This was an amazing experience," Whiteside said. "It was nice to see three generations of marchers. Many women brought their husbands and children. There were many men there to support us, and the atmosphere was so friendly. Women were being so generous to complete strangers. We felt a closeness because we knew we were all here for the same reason -- to fight for women's lives."\n-- Contact staff writer Sarah Schwimmer at .