• Senator Rebekah Warren welcomes the crowd of protestors Monday evening.

UPDATE: LANSING -

ORIGINAL STORY: LANSING - More than 3,000 people gathered at the capitol building on Monday, June 18th, to protest the censuring of Michigan state Representatives Lisa Brown (D-West Bloomfield) and Barb Byrum (D-Onondaga). Brown was banned from speaking on the House floor because she used the word "vagina" while explaining her views on the House Bill 5711, a strict bill regarding abortion. Byrum made a proposal applying abortion rules to vasectomies and was also banned from speaking.

Senator Rebekah Warren (D-Washtenaw) who helped organize the protest on the lawn greeted the crowd with, "I either get the credit or the blame for you all being here today". Eve Ensler, the playwright of The Vagina Monologues, flew in from California to perform with the legislators and actresses on the Capitol steps.

Protest signs dotted the diverse crowd and tee shirts declaring "If you can't say it, don't legislate it" were worn proudly by protesters. Planned Parenthood set up a table for donations that was bustling all evening long.

For more coverage of the event, watch Meridian Magazine Monday 6/25.