To think men have no right to stand outside abortion clinics and do this.

[QuestioningStuff]

Posted before about my pregnancy. I am having a termination today. This is not a decision I've made lightly.

I've arrived at the clinic and there is a middle aged man and his young teen son standing outside with camp chairs and flasks. Putting up awful pictures and signs. Trying to hand out leaflets.

I think women who do this are also scum but how on earth could a man think he has any right to do this? Turn up at a place where women are at their most scared and vulnerable and try to bully them?

It's really really upset me. I hate them so much right now.

I want to go and tell them exactly what I think of them but don't think that would be helpful at this time.

Obviously those two scenarios are very different LikePirate .

Although, to be fair, I wouldn't recommend anyone setting up deckchairs and holding placards in the middle of a warzone where shots were being fired either.

Both are ridiculous, so in that respect I suppose they are similar.

Everyone has a right to protest peacefully but this is not peaceful, it is causing upset/suffering to women who are already in a vulnerable state.

Thinking of you, Questioning.

YANBU to be upset.

They are NBU to protest abortion.

They being very, very unreasonable to protest outside the clinic to vulnerable women, although I do understand their reasoning.

I hoe you are feeling okay today.

Any person whose mind they change, that is a human being's life they have saved.

Well that just isn't true. The woman could go home and commit suicide, she could be in real danger from an abusive partner if she continued with the pregnancy. There are a number of reasons that it isn't as simple as 'a life saved'. The women accessing these clinics have the right to decide if they want to continue with their pregnancies.

The protestors outside who are just passing judgement on these women whilst having no idea about their circumstances can just fuck off

It's not ironic, that's why I suggested that we do it elsewhere, the OP is probably not in the mood to read a heated and emotive debate.

Sorry, I posted too quickly.

for you, OP. Will be thinking of you.

Then why are you making it one? Nobody else is. Take your emotive language and thinly veiled agenda out of this thread.

I'm Catholic. I believe that for me it wouldn't be right to have an abortion. I couldn't consider it for myself. But others have a choice to make and if for themselves they feel that's the correct choice at that time what right do I, or anyone else, have to question that?

Perhaps churches would be better focusing their energy on to working out why people are leaving and not joining, as opposed to worrying so much about sex and its consequences!!!

If the protesters wanted to actually try to change the law, they should protest outside parliament, lobby their MP's etc. I'd be willing to bet that they have prevented exactly 0 abortions taking place.

They are harassing and intimidating vulnerable people, and whilst people have the right, I suppose, to be dicks perhaps we should have a think about whether it's more important that women have the right to seek an abortion (or advise pertaining to one) without a bunch of judgemental arseholes standing around outside the front door.

"The women accessing these clinics have the right to decide if they want to continue with their pregnancies."

The point you glossed over here is that trying to change someone's mind with arguments is not removing or denying that right to make a decision.

The moral problem I see is that some people don't have the choice, and putting the argument without knowing that can make something more painful that is necessary. So a side effect could be hurting someone's feelings very badly at a time in their life that is probably the worst kind of agony.

Peacefully asking someone not to do something is not denying their right to be the decision maker.

OP Hope you are ok.

I've signed the petition linked upthread.

I agree that it's upsetting whoever does the banner holding, but it think there are some circumstances were being faced with two males outside the clinic will feel more intimidating than two females.

People should have the right to protest, but people should have the right to go about their legal business's without being intimidated and harassed. An exclusion zone is one way to allow both.

There's a reason they camp outside clinics, it's to change women's minds, abortion isn't an easy choice but I'm thankful that it's a choice available, they may think they are protesting peacefully, but when you're the one having to walk through them then it doesn't feel Peacful, and I suspect the protesters know that, which is why they camp outside clinics. There are many other things they can do, but intimidating/shaming/scaring/ women into changing their minds shouldn't be one they are legally allowed to do imo.

hurting feelings? really.

There are far far far worse "side effects" you seem willing to ignore.

you don't have to physically beat someone to cause harm. There's no such thing as peaceful protest outside an abortion clinic. NO SUCH THING!!!!!

Why does anyone have a right to try and change their minds?

Take your shit out of this thread. YOU are making it into a debate here. Start another thread if you want to discuss it.

No.They don't have ANY right. What a woman does with her body is nobodies business but her own. WHen men can carry babies, THEN they can have a say in abortion.

Thinking of you op hope it goes ok

I would have to question the teen son. Really? Nothing better to do than camp out with your with your dad outside a clinic with a thermos....

I hope today goes well for you, OP.

That isn't what you are doing pirate, we both know that.

Your agenda isn't welcome on this thread.

They're total fucking self-righteous hypocritical cunts. If they REALLY cared about saving children's lives they'd be aid workers in Gaza or West Africa or Syria. But all that seems a bit too much like hard work, and it's much easier to stand outside an abortion clinic in your own neighbourhood bullying frightened and vulnerable women for daring to make choices about their own bodies and futures.

I cannot stress enough what a pair of absolute wankers these two must be.

I hope you are feeling better and I send you

Peacefully asking someone not to do something is not denying their right to be the decision maker.

No, you are right. In this situation it just makes them a cunt.

No matter what your opinion is on abortions, surely it is the highest form of fuckwittery to air these opinions outside an abortion clinic? I wouldn't dream of going up to someone in the street and ask them to smoking because I dont agree with it, why is this fair game?

I have signed the petition.

Good luck OP.

This woman makes some excellent points

As a man, what a luxury it must be, moralising at one's own convenience, absolutely safe in the knowledge that you will never, ever be the one who has to make that difficult decision.

They make have the legal right to do this but it still makes them shitty human beings. And it says a lot about you if you find it easier to empathise with a hypothetical human being than a real, living, breathing woman.