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Original poster

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 😞

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OpheliaStorm · 10/04/2018 22:18

I fail to understand the reasons for canvassing and posters and all the rest of it.

Do these pro life and pro choice factions not realise that people have brains and can figure it out for themselves or what?

Anyway I suppose propaganda works sometimes.

To my mind it should be a private issue between the woman and her doctor end of story.

I hope it is repealed. Women have been oppressed by the Catholic Church for so many decades now. Time to retrieve the baton.

Best of luck everyone. But there is a lot of funding coming in from Funamental groups in the US, obviously for the NO side.

We shall see what happens.

OpheliaStorm · 10/04/2018 22:20

"Fundamental"

TriJo · 10/04/2018 22:21

My mum and gran are both for repeal, my dad will probably vote to retain just to be an arse because he's like that. I don't know anyone of my generation (I'm 33 and originally from Dublin) who isn't voting to repeal, it's all older people.

StripySocksAndDocs · 10/04/2018 22:25

Their worries about paying maintenance should be processed before they put their penis inside a vagina.
Oh don't be silly they should be able to have sex without having to consider any ramifications. It's them loose women that should have thought about it before opening their legs. Don't you know. ☹

Don't understand woman who want to keepthe 8th Can't stand men who so. I loathe them in fact.

I've one open keeper on my FB feed. Recently going on aboit the 'lies' of the repealers.

The 'don't be like them filthy immoral English' poster irk me (I possible paraphrase).

Don't have a vote sadly.

SchoolMoney · 10/04/2018 22:27

I haven't had any anti choice doorknockers around here yet (South Dublin) and I almost want them to. Even though I'm divided on whether I should politely waste their time and keep them talking or politely tell them to shove it. I really, really hope it's a yes.

Tringley · 10/04/2018 22:29

Do these pro life and pro choice factions not realise that people have brains and can figure it out for themselves or what?

We do but there is a large percentage of undecideds in the electorate and lots of people do fall for disinformation campaigns. If only one side is able to get their voice across, and with squillions from American fundamentalists pouring into the No campaign, right now only one side is reaching the majority of the electorate. People will be swayed by their campaign and the only way we can counter that is express as widely as possible that women must be free to choose.

If you aren't in Ireland you can't imagine what it's been like for the last few weeks seeing all these posters appear everywhere. I can't go buy milk without seeing foetuses on every second lamppost. (I can't even begin to describe the near physical agony that would have caused me when I was experiencing recurrent miscarriage and infertility.) Unfortunately their campaign needs to be countered.

Bluefargo · 10/04/2018 22:33

I am also pessimistic that this will go through. I think the prolife organisation have a very slick machine and that we are not organised as well at all. There was a man this morning on newstalk (comms for one of the main pro life groups) and he was frighteningly well prepared and unflappable. It's so important that we all get out to vote

squoosh · 10/04/2018 22:33

Has Breda O'Brien or any of the Iona crew been on the airwaves much?

StripySocksAndDocs · 10/04/2018 22:34

There aren't any Yes posters in my area. It's weird.

LaurieMarlow · 10/04/2018 22:35

My parents are in Northern Ireland and the local priests are campaigning against repeal from the pulpit in the hopes that their parisioners influence friends/family in the republic (it's a border town).

So that's what we're up against. Angry

username182 · 10/04/2018 22:36

Thank you for this thread op. I didn't know you were having a referendum over there I will be making a donation to together for yes. Seems crazy that safe legal access to abortions is even up for debate in this day and age so close to home. Fingers crossed for the right outcome.

Returnofthesmileybar · 10/04/2018 22:38

I am really hoping my parents vote Yes but I think it will be a No, unfortunately, they voted No to gay marriage too. It's amazing they are so forward thinking in so many ways and so frustratingly backward in others. I read them stories from the Inhershoes page, you would want a heart of stone not to be moved by some of them, I tried asking them to do it for my daughters, I just don't think it will work.

I do think for them and a lot of people it's the 12 weeks that is bothering them. I think if it was set in stone that it would stay at 12 weeks for on demand but people are afraid it will pass and before you know it is will be 24 weeks and that's just too big a leap for some people

fridaseyebrows · 10/04/2018 22:38

Irish in London here

I think it will be very close - v interesting article by Patrick McCabe in the Guardian earlier in the week about how this could be Ireland’s Brexit / Trump moment

www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/07/ireland-abortion-vote-trump-style-backlash-liberal-elite-patrick-mccabe

I think if the question and discussion was simply focused on repealing the 8th I would feel much more confident about the result. But the arguments have been muddied by the government saying that if passed they will look to bring in abortion up to 12 weeks. Perhaps a logical step in many people’s minds but it is not the same thing as the actual referendum question and I think it shifts the focus of the debate too much and gives the pro lifers more ammunition

I really really hope it goes through. The In Her Shoes Facebook page has me in tears almost every day

OpheliaStorm · 10/04/2018 22:46

@Tringley.

Point taken. So sorry for your miscarriage losses, it must be very difficult to see these awful pictures.

I think a lot of pro life funding is provided by American fundamentalists. I could be wrong on that. They say they are Christian, but I cannot see any empathy or Christianity from them for people like you.

Sending flowers your way. x

username182 · 10/04/2018 22:46

Might be worth putting a post in feminism also

squoosh · 10/04/2018 22:51

I think a lot of pro life funding is provided by American fundamentalists

Yes. And their coffers are VERY deep.

MrsFrTedCrilly · 10/04/2018 22:52

Thanks for providing that link to together for yes I’ve just donated. Irish living in Uk just been back for a visit and those 1 in 5 posters were everywhere Hmm My mum in her seventies will be voting yes, she’s pretty conservative but pragmatic and sees that the current disgraceful lack of basic healthcare is damaging to women.
I’m fearful that the 8th won’t be repealed but ever hopeful that that it will.

CocoPuffsInGodMode · 10/04/2018 22:56

I hope I'm wrong but I don't think it will be a yes Sad. So many of us in Ireland have been brought up absolutely indoctrinated with the belief that life begins at conception and that abortion is murder. I'm embarrassed to admit that until I was in my 30s I believed this too. It was mainly from reading threads on MN that I actually started to question this belief and became pro-choice.

I know my parents and my sister will vote No, they are very much of the view that "it's a baby" and while they would say they could understand getting an abortion when pregnancy is a result of rape, they're also very much "it's a slippery slope". I have friends and colleagues who aren't staunch pro-lifers, they'd be the type to say it's a woman's own business, that they wouldn't judge someone if they had an abortion etc but it seems like actively choosing to make it an option here in Ireland might just be a step too far for them Confused. It's hard to describe, these aren't even religious people but I think the strong abortion equals murder message is something a huge number of people absorbed in childhood and now when it comes to a vote they're not entirely sure so might err on the side of caution.

mikado1 · 10/04/2018 23:02

You've described it very well Coco.

Eenymeeny123 · 10/04/2018 23:02

Unfortunately trinity your daughter won't be able to vote, she had to be 18 by February 15th.

Returnofthesmileybar · 10/04/2018 23:06

I think you might be right Coco unfortunately

Eenymeeny123 · 10/04/2018 23:09

The Facebook page women of the eight should be read by everyone. Some of the stories are heartbreaking.

SparkyBlue · 10/04/2018 23:11

Coco you have it spot on. The people I know who are most pro life are not a bit religious but they won't be swayed. I think the mistake many people are making is assuming that it's only older or very religious people who will vote no. I personally find the older generation to be less judgmental and I find a lot of my parents generation are voting yes but a lot more my age (early forties) voting no.

ny20005 · 10/04/2018 23:12

@fridaseyebrows in her shoes has me in tears daily too - until today when I was so angry !

I didn't realise that a woman in labour doesn't have to consent to episiotomy or that she has to have husbands consent for tubes to be tided - IF the doctor decides it's ok first 😡

My first vote age 18 was the abortion ref in '92. We all thought all the youth will vote yes but unfortunately so many people are against abortion & can't see past this to allow women to make their own choices 😢

AhhhhThatsBass · 10/04/2018 23:25

I’m concerned it’s not going to get repealed. I don’t know if anyone is watching the latest series of Homeland, but how bots and fake news are influencing people is a sobering thought.
How anyone thinks that they have the right to deny a woman the freedom to choose what happens to her own body even if they themselves are anti abortion baffles me.

PS If someone asks me if I’m from Northern or Southern Ireland, I’ll always respond “Republic”. I just cannot bring myself to use the term Southern Ireland.