Giant Inflatable IUD Makes Stops In VA On U.S. Tour

RICHMOND, VA — A 20-foot-tall inflatable contraception device known as Freeda visited the Commonwealth this week, making stops in Richmond and Virginia Beach as part of an effort to draw attention to birth control access in the United States.

The giant intrauterine device — or IUD — was placed at 24th Street Park in Virginia Beach on Tuesday. The following day, Freeda headed to the State Capitol in Richmond for a visit.

The famous IUD, which gained attention from national media and late-night hosts including The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, is the creation of Americans for Contraception. The purpose of Freeda (which also means womb) is to draw attention to the threats facing birth control and to hold accountable lawmakers who threaten access to it, according to the organization's website.

"First off, we want anyone who doesn’t know what an IUD looks like, especially any male legislators who voted against the bill to know that this is an IUD," Katie Baker with Americans for Contraception told WAVY on Tuesday.

She continued, "And we really want people to know that their right to contraception is under threat. This is something that we’ve taken for granted for years."

In May, Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a bill that would have guaranteed access to birth control for Commonwealth residents. In a memo, Youngkin said he vetoed the bill because federal law already protects access to birth control and the legislation passed by Virginia lawmakers did not include religious freedom protections for health care providers.

"Any contraception-related changes... must uphold the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning their children's upbringing and care," the governor also wrote.

Del. Marcia Price, a Democrat who sponsored the bill, plans to reintroduce the bill.

“We are very hopeful that any miscommunication, misunderstanding, false narratives will be able to be overcome," she told WAVY. "Next year, not only do we plan to pass the bill again through the House and the Senate, but hopefully next year the governor will do the right thing and sign it to protect Virginians."