Repeal the 8th

[SnowWhitesRestingBitchFace]

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 😞

That's where I am raising the question of responsibility. Not fact, question. If someone falls pregnant after putting themselves in a situation where they know this is a very possible outcome, when they could healthily go ahead, is not in a difficult situation, it literally just isn't perfect timing (when is life ever perfect), should there be concern about the choice being made on convenience rather than taking responsibility for what some argue/feel is a life?

To me this is a rehash of RC morality, yo have been a naughty girl therefore you will be punished by being forced to give birth. Just be thankful we won't send you to slave in a laundry or go to England until after the baby is born.

It's actually shocked and saddened me how many men or on the 'No' side. Ive read a lot of debates on Facebook through stuff my friends have posted and the majority of no voters seem to be young men which I genuinely just find incredible and infuriating!

This reminds me of VI form, I'd been in a girls' school until then, VI form was mixed at the boys' school. I think most had not even thought about it. In a discussion (in RE of course) I asked what should happen in a molar pregnancy? Lots of, 'never heard of that', 'you sure that happens?'.

I do know a number of men think in a fairly simplistic way about abortion - e.g. Young girl gets pregnant accidentally and goes to England for an abortion as it isn't convenient to have a child at that time in their life. They don't think about the women who already have children, etc.

I know a lot of people who are voting no - I really do hope it passes.

The more I hear the more uncomfortable I am with men having a vote on this, given how ignorant they are about the impact pregnancy has on women's bodies, the implications of the 8th for women's healthcare, the emotional and physical effects of the current system.

It's too easy for them to skirt over the complexity of the issue.

I agree LaurieMarlow, every pregnancy has an impact. After an old boss's wife had her 4th child and a colleague asked after HER wellbeing a few weeks after the baby was born, boss replied ''she's fine, they're built for it''

Unmarried man of about 50 in my work is ALL over the internet posting pro-life comments. He has never seen a wife or girlfriend go through a pregnancy. It does make me see red. He would also be very simplistic in his thinking. ie, going to have an abortion because it's not convenient.

I have been heartened by the number of men I've met when canvassing who are committed yes voters, and also the number of high profile men who have been vocal about the need to vote yes.
I'm just ignoring the rest, otherwise I'll get too angry and I want to focus on what I can do to get this over the line.
The main risk now is complacency and people not bothering to vote.

Was out in Dun Laoighre yesterday and was heartened to see more Yes posters than no.

There was a group of people at the people's park and one women in her seventies was trying to approach us with a leaflet. I wrongly assumed it was for the no side but she was for the yes. Bad on my part to make that assumption and so glad to see someone of that generation voting yes.

Haven't RTFT but spent the weekend near Dublin visiting a good friend & saddened to see all the graphic posters for no.

However, there was one poster that I saw that said '1 in 5 pregnancies in England ends in abortion. Don't bring this to Ireland'

I thought what a load of bollocks but just now got round to trying to find out where this 'statistic' came from. Found this article but would welcome any other insights. The figure seems way too high, even accounting for all the Irish abortions having to go to England for now

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/fact-check-does-one-in-every-five-pregnancies-in-england-end-in-abortion-1.3480584%3fmode=amp

I think there is a fact check of that claim on thejournal as well.

www.thejournal.ie/save-the-8th-poster-statistic-abortion-3951738-Apr2018/%3famp=1

Thanks for that that escalated. I'm still genuinely shocked at the level of abortions, would never had believed the ratio was that high, even taking the lower estimate. Maybe that's naievety on my part, but think we as society need to do something to lower this. Another issue, I know.

If I had a vote I'd still vote yes, (I'm NI so no vote)

Yeah unfortunately hugh love both have an Irish base
Glad to hear outside ads will be banned though
The pro life American side are bat shit!

No more Google or YouTube ads. The no side are shouting about it being a fix now. Have they not realised the ad ban also affects the yes side?

snuffykins they're feckn hilarious aren't they!
I'll be out canvassing tomorrow that's all we can do now
Still so many undecided

I just listened to mcgirk on matt Cooper, talk about having a tantrum. He really thinks is a conspiracy.

I must have a listen
although I'm not sure my blood pressure could take it
I thinkhope they're running scared because it's looking like the 8th will be repealed

Promise your blood pressure will be fine. You'll be too busy laughing at him almost hyper ventilating.

I can understand his annoyance in terms of the digital plans now being pretty useless, but together for yes and tfmr started crowdfunding for digital purposes so they're also gonna have to go back to the drawing board.

I don't know, I think it's going to be extremely extremely tight. We need to keep encouraging the yes voters to make sure they come out on the day.

Just a warning, the whole referendum is a conspiracy by the Illuminati...

www.rte.ie/news/eighth-amendment/2018/0509/961283-letters-to-leo/

That's hilarious!

Anyone listen to John McGuirk on Matt Cooper?

He actual sounds like a stroppy child.

Ironically, one of the anti choice, fetus sharing people on my Facebook feed shared a picture today protesting the evils of piercing toddler's ears with the slogan "HER body, HER choice"

No way bloody hell, speaking of Irony, my brother sent me this picture

trinity66 that is just... priceless.

I listened to Matt Cooper's podcast with my earphones in last night- OH came in thinking Id gone nuts because I was alternating between laughing and yelling at my phone.