Dozens of Californians angered by the Supreme Court's ruling that an employer can refuse to provide women with contraception on religious grounds protested a newly opened San Fernando Valley Hobby Lobby, a family-owned Christian company who helped spark the decision.
The demonstration, dubbed on its Facebook event page as "Let's Condom...er Condemn Hobby Lobby at their Burbank Grand Opening," brought protesters to boycott outside the Burbank storefront Monday as they handed out condoms and took donations for Planned Parenthood.
- Breaking News Alerts: Download the NBCLA News App
Some chanted and held signs, others dressed in costumes, including one of a vagina. Event organizers asked supporters of the boycott to use the hashtag #NotMyBossesBusiness.
"HOBBY LOBBY IS NOT PRO RELIGION, IT'S ANTI-WOMEN," one sign read. "BIRTH CONTROL EMPOWERS WOMEN," read another.
The Supreme Court ruled last week that for-profit companies can claim a religious exemption to the Affordable Care Act requirement that they provide health insurance coverage for contraceptives.
For-profit corporations -- including Conestoga Wood of Pennsylvania, owned by a family of Mennonite Christians, and Hobby Lobby, a family-owned chain founded on Biblical principles -- had challenged the ACA provision that required companies with more than 50 employees to cover preventive care services, which include such contraceptives as morning-after pills, diaphragms and IUDs.
"You gotta draw the line somewhere and we are here to say no," one protester said. "No more war on women."
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
Protesters are upset over that ruling, as well as the fact that male employees are still entitled to insurance that covers erectile dysfunction medication, including Viagra, and vasectomies.
"I'm against corporations involving religion in their employees' rights," a protester said.
Some demonstrators were members of pro-choice groups Feminist Majority and Planned Parenthood. Others just wanted to take a stand.
"The people who own Hobby Lobby can practice their religion the way they feel is appropriate for them, but they are imposing their religion through a corporation on other people, and thats inappropriate in America," protester Dean Okrand said.
Hobby Lobby supporter Brenda McAlpine said she will keep shopping at the store and has friends who want to work for the company.
"They are not saying you can't do birth control. You can do birth control, they even provide birth control and they will pay for it," McAlpine said. "They just don't want to do certain kinds. My thing is, if people really want to do that kind of birth control so badly, they can pay for it themselves."
