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MNHQ have commented on this thread

AIBU?

Repeal the 8th

891 replies

SnowWhitesRestingBitchFace · 10/04/2018 20:30

So DH and I are currently visiting my DF and DStepM in Southern Ireland (where I grew up).

Just answered the door to a couple who are looking for support in the referendum and wanted us to pledge that we would vote no.

No for context I am just 6 weeks away from giving birth to DC3 (so clearly very heavily pregnant) and they still had the audacity to argue with me when I said I didn't agree with them and I supported any woman's right to decide what happens to her body.

They started trying to show me pictures of 10 week old babies in the womb (not necessary obviously in the circumstances) and weren't pleased that I didn't agree with them given that I'm carrying a baby myself.

I'm sorry I don't really have an actual AIBU I just wanted to rant a bit and show support for the people who have to face this absolute shit every day until the referendum. We're going home to the UK on Thursday so I won't have it all thrown in my face anymore but I just think the guilt tripping is horrendous 😞

OP posts:

Report

Tringley · 10/04/2018 20:43

You are unlikely to meet them again before Thursday but if you do tell them that they have inspired you to donate to Together for Yes and for every second of your time they waste your donation increases.

They've annoyed a lot of people with their posters lately meaning we've raised nearly a quarter of a million quid today on the first day of fundraising.

TriJo · 10/04/2018 20:50

Irish in London here, I've donated to Together For Yes today. I'm heading back for a visit on Saturday and if those muppets darken the door of my mum's house there will be hell to pay. Irish pro-lifers are a special kind of obnoxious and completely full of shit.

SnowWhitesRestingBitchFace · 10/04/2018 20:51

Thanks @Tringley I will do! DH and I had just walked back to DF's house after going to the local for some dinner and I noticed all the vote no signs on lampposts on the way home which I found bad enough without them turning up at the front door. Unreasonable or not I honestly 100% would have told them to fuck off if it were my own home but my Step Mum is a bit of a 'pillar of the community' and I don't want to fall out with my DF over it!

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SnowWhitesRestingBitchFace · 10/04/2018 20:52

Out of curiosity I wonder if things vary from county to county, as in how broad minded people are etc on the matter.

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Trinity66 · 10/04/2018 20:56

Just found out that people can register to vote until May 8th and my daughter turns 18 May 7th

ny20005 · 10/04/2018 20:56

I don't think so. I've been very shocked to discover a couple of my friends are pro life - I've unfriended one who was posting a load of bile & offensive photos

I really hope it goes through but I'm not sure it will to be honest 😢

LaurieMarlow · 10/04/2018 20:59

The posters have just gone up and they're so manipulative. It's horrific.

I also hate the way they're using the UK as a comparison bogeyman. Firstly, I'm sure it's exaggerated for effect and secondly the cultural attitude towards abortion is very different in both countries - comparisons are ridiculous. Plus, ireland at large is happy to let the uk do its dirty work when it comes to abortions, which I think is disgraceful

I'm 34 weeks pregnant, but I'll have no problem telling them to fuck off if they try to canvas me in person.

Trinity66 · 10/04/2018 20:59

ny20005 I think it will go through, it will be interesting to see how big of a turn out there is from younger people, I hope its a big one and I think it will be considering its them it's really going to effect

LaurieMarlow · 10/04/2018 21:00

Call me a pessimist, but I don't think it will go through.

SnowWhitesRestingBitchFace · 10/04/2018 21:04

Thankfully my Facebook feed has been very Yes orientated. I haven't spoken to anyone about it in real life though apart from Dh (and the couple at the door) as I tend to get very very passionate that as a woman we have our choices and voices taken away from us enough and I kind of naively don't want to know if some of my friends family feel differently.

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MysweetAudrina · 10/04/2018 21:06

I live in Dublin and i had the pro lifers call to my door. The man asked me to take a leaflet and read it before I made my mind up and said they were calling to inform people of the pro life view point as the media were biased towards the pro choice.

I took the leaflet and said I just wanted to make sure there were no graphic images in it as I have children. There were. He said they weren't aimed at children, huffed, took it back and God blessed me.

Trinity66 · 10/04/2018 21:08

Thankfully my Facebook feed has been very Yes orientated. I haven't spoken to anyone about it in real life though apart from Dh (and the couple at the door) as I tend to get very very passionate that as a woman we have our choices and voices taken away from us enough and I kind of naively don't want to know if some of my friends family feel differently.

Yeah same here, the vast majority of my FB friends who comment on it are in favour of repealing, I think there's only been 1 who was vocal about No (but not in a graphic way)

mikado1 · 10/04/2018 21:08

I agree that it's not a given at all. I think the unrestricted until 12 weeks is an issue for many for whom abortion following rape/FFA/cancer treatment etc is not an issue. I think for those it's too big a step. In her shoes on fb excellent for highlighting how far reaching the 8th is, though certainly I was asked for consent, and refused it on occasion in Labour, so as with anything, people have had different experiences.

The posters would actually turn a maybe no to a yes imo but similarly the 'bunch of cells' comments don't seem to understand their audience either. I think if I was a gambling person I'd find it very hard to call but think yes might scrape it.

Trinity66 · 10/04/2018 21:10

mikado1 Again I think it will depend on whether the younger people get out and vote, and I really think they will

mikado1 · 10/04/2018 21:11

Tbf I think the no voters aren't going to post it on fb, in general.

Tringley · 10/04/2018 21:13

They've annoyed a lot of people with their posters lately meaning we've raised nearly a quarter of a million quid today on the first day of fundraising.

Scratch that. More than quarter of a million now!!!

Trinity66 · 10/04/2018 21:13

Tbf I think the no voters aren't going to post it on fb, in general.

mmmm you're probably right

APMom · 10/04/2018 21:14

They haven’t called to my house yet but I’m wAiting, as are my four adult daughters. My son’s aren’t old enough to vote. The area I live in is the most liberal in the country but the main route into the city is full of No posters. Dd was really annoyed at them today.

Doryismyname · 10/04/2018 21:15

I am hoping that the women of Ireland will finally have their voices heard and consign these bullies to the dark ages. What makes my blood boil is listening to pro life narrow minded obnoxious men bleating on about something they WILL NEVER HAVE TO DEAL WITH

mikado1 · 10/04/2018 21:15

Even still Trinity, I don't think it'll be resounding but might be wrong.

SnowWhitesRestingBitchFace · 10/04/2018 21:16

@mikado1 I agree completely regarding the bunch of cells comments. I don't see it that way at all however I still feel so incredibly strong that it should be up to the individual. I don't think that there should have to excuses made. Regardless of if you see it as a baby or a bunch of cells it should be down to the individual. I think saying it just a bunch of cells until such and such a point is actually harmful to the argument.

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LaurieMarlow · 10/04/2018 21:19

It's not the young people I'm worried about. They will get out and vote, but I'm not sure they're enough to counter people older than me (I'm 37) who voted happily for gay marriage but are much more cagey about their intentions this time. And I'm in Dublin and know mostly liberal types. God knows what the attitudes are in the country.

It hasn't been well handled by the government either. Simply voting to repeal is a big step without being clear (until very recently) what the official line would be.

I'm not that sanguine.

TheEagle · 10/04/2018 21:20

I really hope for a Yes vote but the No side has more weight behind it than is apparent.

It’s so important that everyone who can vote does so.

This debate goes right to the roots of our society and our history.

It’s high time that Irish women were given autonomy over their bodies.

Repeal the 8th

Trinity66 · 10/04/2018 21:21

mikado1 I don't think it will be resounding either but I'm hopeful it will go through

SnowWhitesRestingBitchFace Yup, its pro choice not pro abortion, there is a massive difference. I mean on a personal level I don't think I would ever be able to have an abortion however I think it's absolutely not mine or anyone elses place to tell another woman what she can and cannot do with her own body

Tringley · 10/04/2018 21:22

It's hard not to feel positive today but it's hard to know as no voters may be keeping quite about planning to vote pro-life. We mostly live in our own bubbles of likeminded people, so can't really gauge the strength of feeling and the numbers of those who disagree with us. So we could be unpleasantly surprised by how close it is. Then again we did fear the same about silent no voters 3 years ago in the lead up to the marriage equality referendum and we smashed that in the end.

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