I wish I had answers for why Ireland is denying women control over their own bodies.
There will come a day, years from now, that we will look back in shame and disgrace at our inaction. Denying these women, who are just doing what is right for them.
I had a lot of people say to me that I was selfish for getting an abortion. That I had consenting sex with my partner at the time and I was irresponsible and fell pregnant. That I should have "coped on" and got on with my responsibility as a pregnant woman. I was told I could have been carrying the saviour for our world. That I have denied our society a great mind. That I just didn't want the party to end.
This is the big issue with getting abortion legalised in Ireland. We are not talking to women anymore about what they need or the support they require, we are talking at them. Slut-shaming their actions. Asking them to justify, to say that their only other option in life is suicide.
I just want to let that sink in for a moment......
In the "Protection of Life during Pregnancy Act 2013" we are giving women only three options to legally have abortions in Ireland.
"1) Risk of loss of life with physical illness
2) Risk of loss of life with a physical illness in emergency
3) Risk of loss of life from suicide."
Do the people of Ireland not realise what we are doing to women in this country with these restrictions? We are cornering them, telling them that we can only give them the support they so desperately need if they are on the edge of living. That for someone to step in and help a woman, she would need to be so close to killing herself ,hopeless and alone, that then and only then will we descend from our high horses and force her through multiple screenings of her psychological stability to then have a doctor , a perfect stranger to this woman, decides if she is suicidal enough for intervention.
We are telling women they need to be ready to die before we will support them.
How dare we be so high and mighty, to control and emotionally manipulate, to force drastic actions from women who are already fragile and in need of support.
I am not just talking about women who have similar stories to me, where it was consenting sex. What about the women we make jump through hoops who have been raped? Who are in abusive relationships? Or women like "Miss Y" who are seeking asylum in our country, who are already going through such turmoil only to then be forced to have a caesarian section after pleading for help with termination.
When is our control over women going to end? When are we going to say enough is enough and maybe just maybe women are competent enough to not abuse the system if abortion were legalised. That we would not all become uncontrollably promiscuous and have abortion after abortion . Oh wait I also forgot that the government is in charge of our innocence in life too. Us women must stay sacred and pure!
I know that the world is full of injustices but this is something that is coming up for debate, for change through the Referendum Repealing the 8th and discussing this , no matter how uncomfortable it may be to you or how distant your life is from the struggles of these women, you have a voice and you have a vote.
I would ask people to read through the "Protection of Life during Pregnancy Act 2013", really try and see the hoops women must jump through before anyone will stand with them and support THEIR CHOICE.
I will continue to ask these questions, to search for change and I am hopeful that opinions can be listened to, ideas questioned and opinions changed.
Personally Speaking.
