Students for Choice Club from Dixie State University gathered for women’s reproductive rights Friday.
Jazzy’s Rock‘n Roll Grill played host for the Students for Choice Club benefit concert, which was dubbed “Riot for Choice.” The benefit was held for Planned Parenthood and all proceeds went to support the organization. Over 50 people packed into Jazzy’s to participate in the event to enjoy the live music and support Planned Parenthood. By the time the bands had finished playing, Hannah Milne, a sophomore communication major from St. George and president of Students for Choice, said the benefit had raised over $1,100.
Milne was one of the event organizers. She said Jazzy’s and the bands all volunteered their resources for free.
“I’ve been involved in the music scene here in St. George for a while,” Milne said. “So I had a good idea of who to talk to when I wanted to organize the ‘Riot for Choice.‘”
With the political discussion of defunding Planned Parenthood going on across the nation, Mattie Larsen, a senior fine arts major from St. George and vice president for Students for Choice, said it was vital to show support for Planned Parenthood at this time.
“I don’t qualify for health insurance, and it is only because of [Planned Parenthood] that I have access to things like pap smears and can control my reproductive health,” Larsen said. “It’s important to show [Planned Parenthood] that we support and appreciate them during these hard times.”
Milne also said it was important not to stand by and be silent, but to openly support Planned Parenthood.
“We’re really lucky to have a clinic in a town this size,” Milne said. “And with [St. George] being such a conservative town, we want to keep our Planned Parenthood as it does so much for this community.”
“All [of the proceeds] will go directly to Planned Parenthood,” Milne said. “We’re just so glad we can help because every bit of support helps.”
Three local Utah bands played at the event: Cat Ghost Formerly Known As Ghost Cat, Gold Star For Robot Boy, and Duke Mute & Dice Game Uchiha. The band Dream Slut had been scheduled to perform, but have since broken up as a group and could not attend the event. Along with selling art that had been donated by local artists, the benefit also had a $5 cover charge to get into the event.
The first performers were Duke Mute & Dice Game Uchiha in their debut performance. Each band played a 30-minute set, with the crowd around the stage growing as the night went on.
The next performers were Gold Star For Robot Boy. Jack McCall, vocalist and guitarist for Gold Star For Robot Boy, characterized their band’s sound as “heavily influenced by Sonic Youth, The Breeders and Pavement” and they “tend to be a sort of a noise rock group.”
McCall said helping with this event was all about giving back to others.
“Personally, I’ve always been inspired to help those who are oppressed because people are people and everyone deserves the same basic rights, whether it’s about gender, race or economic class,” McCall said. “Planned Parenthood has also helped me personally, and I want to give back to them and the community.”
The band Cat Ghost Formerly Known As Ghost Cat traveled from Salt Lake City to take part in the event, starting their set by leading the crowd in shouting, “my body, my choice.” The band’s music, according to their Facebook page, was “three piece twinkly-emo/mood-rawk group” and “music for cats and cat lovers.”
For those who missed the event, Planned Parenthood accepts donations online with the ability to choose whether to donate to the organization as a whole, or to a specific clinic.
