HARTFORD, Conn. -- One of the tattoos depicts a gravestone with the word “Patriarchy” across it.
In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the owners of Propaganda Ink Tattoo & Piercing Parlor in Southington are offering pro-abortion rights tattoos and donating 100 percent of the proceeds from those tattoos to support the access-to-abortion movement.
Owners Rachel and Steve Molnar came up with 26 images — one is the gravestone — in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The calls for appointments are pouring in following the announcement last week on social media, Rachel Molnar said.
The idea came to the couple as they watched protestors on the news and wanted to bring another platform to the mix. While there have been rallies nationwide by those advocating for abortion rights, those who support the overturning of Roe also have rallied and have been outspoken.
“We have a small business platform and we have skills that we can use to defend our fundamental human rights,” Rachel Molnar said. “We don’t feel its a political or religious issue. We feel it’s a human rights issue. No state has a right to tell a woman what to do with their body.”
They created a menu of simple tattoo designs that will be available through the November mid-term elections.
Fifty percent of the proceeds will go to The REACH Fund of CT, a new organization that will eventually offer grants to clinics to offset financial barriers to abortion access and the other 50 percent to the National Abortion Federation, a professional organization for abortion providers.
Liz Gustafson, co founder of the Reach Fund of Connecticut, which stands for Reproductive Equity Access and Choice, said the tattoos are a “wonderful idea,” and an “excellent way for people to support the movement.”
“In talking to Rachel I was just really moved by her willingness to use her artistry,” Gustafson said. “The tattoo shows a solidarity in the fight for reproductive freedom.”
Some of the images include a coat hanger laced with barbed wire and the words “Never Again;” one that reads “Not fragile like a flower,” and another, a likeness of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with the words “Rise and Resist.”
The tattoos take between a half hour to 45 minutes and can range in price from $60 to $200, depending on details.
Customer Bridget Orosz has her eye on the tombstone tattoo that says “Patriarchy.”
“I think this is a deeply personal cause for many and that the tattoos serve as a reminder to the recipient,” Orosz said.
“We want equality and our right to choice is just a battle in a long standing war against women that has been taking place since the beginning of recorded history,” she said. “It’s our time and the tattoos show our solidarity.”
Alison Grisko, a regular customer, will get the tattoo that says “prochoice,” with hearts replacing the o’s, and may even get more than one, she said.
Grisko said she works in customer service, has a lot of tattoos and has found they are a great way to spread the word, as many people ask about them.
“This starts a conversation with people about many different subjects, but given the current issues going on in America today this is definitely going get people to ask questions or even just think to themselves about what it says and what it means to them,” Grisko said.
“Tattoos get people talking. Sometimes it’s great, sometimes judgmental, but with this particular tattoo I’ll be proud to show off my stance on these issues,” she said.
Grisko said, “People may assume this is all about abortions but it’s so much bigger than that.” She said it’s about the right to make decisions about one’s own body and also, equality.
Rachel Molnar said she and Steve, both tattoo artists, have two children, 6 and 1, and, " I don’t want anyone telling them what they can and cannot do with their bodies.”
She said this isn’t the first time the studio has tattooed for a cause.
She said Steve Molnar did a program where veterans with PTSD got free tattoos, and it was considered a form of therapy because they got to sit, relax and talk
“Getting a tattoo is almost like a mental release,” Rachel Molnar said.
She said the pro-abortion rights tattoos will give people a sense of control back.
“The feeling they’re making a difference...Women feel lost, disgusted,” she said.
While all the proceeds will go to the two organizations, the artists will keep any tips.
Nora Turner, development associate with the National Abortion Federation, said her organization represents clinics, doctors, nurses, and other staff, providing 24-hour security, quality assurance training, staffing support.
Turner said they are getting support from many businesses and fundraisers such as concerts, art shows and T-shirt sales.
“We’re very focused around bodily autonomy. Tattoos are a way for people to have autonomy over their own bodies,” Turner said.
Tattoo parlor customer Jason Ronan said the business is always willing to stand up for what’s right and, “Pro Choice needs all the support and voice it can get.”
“Tattoos are great as a medium because it’s almost like a shirt or something where you can share your beliefs and opinions on your skin to truly stand up for your beliefs,” Ronan said.
Propaganda Ink customer Ariel Olton got a pro-abortion rights tattoo of her own before the fundraiser/tattoo campaign — a sword with a uterus drawn at the end to look like a fancy handle. She may get another.
Olton, a seasoned pro-choice advocate, said she believes the country took a major step backward with the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
“It’s a very slippery slope and we the people have an obligation to put a stop to what’s going on,” Olton said. “There’s no law that limits a man’s right to his body. So this is an attack on women.”
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