The Abortion Overton window

[MrsTerryPratchett]

There's already been a few and there will be more.

Following the American decision regarding abortion, campaigners and trolls will be trying to move abortion provision in other counties, including the UK, into a 'debate'. Our right to safe, accessible, free healthcare isn't a debate. As soon as people start behaving as though essential healthcare for women is debatable, we are in a dangerous place.

Please consider, when opening threads about abortion at the moment, that the aim is to move the Overton window. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overton_window#:~:text=The%20Overton%20window%20is%20the,as%20the%20window%20of%20discourse

I'm not enabling voting because that would rather feed into my point.

Blessed be the fruit 🙏

Yeah. Be wary of the "I'm very pro-choice but..." threads.

IIRC they've already started tabling same-sex marriages on the table. Interracial marriages next. Absolutely nothing is off the table.

This is so true.

First they came for the women …

They will 100% revert the legalisation of gay marriage over the next couple of years.

I also think they will introduce some very heavy limitations to accessing contraception, if they don't just ban it outright.

Well if basic healthcare is a 'debate' I suppose everyone's rights are. Well, not EVERYONE'S obviously. Pale, stale and male will keep theirs. And no one touch the guns FFS.

Very much this, one of the latest anti-choice tactics seems to be "I'm pro-choice but..." followed by extreme examples of what they deem to be 'unworthy' abortions.

If someone is pro-choice it doesn't come with a "but" attached, you either support choice or you don't (and that includes people choosing not to get an abortion as well as those who do choose to get one).

I also think they will introduce some very heavy limitations to accessing contraception, if they don't just ban it outright

There are already limitations on accessing it and employers can opt out of employee health benefits covering contraception. Friend of mine is American and while on holiday in the UK she got a coil fitted at a private clinic as her employer does not allow their company health insurance to be used for "abortificants".

Chopped a bit off....

It was cheaper to have it fitted here privately than it was to have it done back home.

Honestly how anyone can think of America as a 'free country' is beyond me.

Honestly how anyone can think of America as a 'free country' is beyond me.

To quote Rage Against the Machine: "land of the free? Whoever told you that is your enemy".

Thanks for this OP.

Helpful reminder.

What is the best strategy for avoiding Overton drift - engage with the ‘it’s complex’ or grey rock and don’t let them derail?

It will be time limits they go for here, using the “what counts as viable” debate. And it’s an emotive one, so it’s tempting. It’s tempting because you can talk about improvements in care. But it’s not about improvements in care, it’s about pushing back our rights. Especially as the vast majority of abortions are done in the early weeks here. We have to be firm.

One of my favourite expressions is just because someone throws a ball, it doesn't mean you have to chase it. Term limits? Nope, I trust women. Abortion as contraception? I trust women. Coerced abortion? Better DV resources. Late term abortions? I trust women.

Don't care what the question is, the answer is the same. I trust women. They will make the right decisions for themselves.

And know your stats. Abortion is typically early and getting early. Countries where it's illegal have more AND they're unsafe. The answer to any issues is better rights for women and better access to education, money and contraception.

You’re right.

If we do open a thread and suspect, do we just jam the thread with posts to ignore? Or is that against the rules?

We probably need a #hashtag type comment:

I trust women.

As early as possible, as late as necessary.

Basic healthcare is a right.

They want to make the edges fuzzy. The edges aren't fuzzy.

You are so right. I don't want to debate abortion any more than I want to debate gay or interracial marriage. It's so hard not to weigh in!

@MrsTerryPratchett completely agree. Mumsnet is a place for this kind of soft power.
#itrustwomen

I can't help myself either. But it's also how we talk about it. Not 'how many weeks is OK?' but 'as early as possible, as late as necessary'.

Any sniff of women faltering on our choices is a crack. There doesn't need to be a debate about late term abortions because there are almost none and they are for medical necessity.

As early as possible, as late as necessary.

That sums up my feelings on abortion.

As early as possible, as late as necessary.

Absolutely this.

I can't get my head around a country wanting to ban abortion and also restrict access to contraception.

If you really wanted to reduce the number of abortions you'd support free contraception for everyone.

If you really wanted to reduce the number of abortions you'd support free contraception for everyone.

Yep. If you look at the statistics, and you want to reduce abortions, you make women and girls rich, powerful, well educated, safe from abuse and give them access to good free contraception.

. Ummmm none of that.

Anytime. Anywhere. Any reason. This is not a debatable issue.

Excellent points and well made @MrsTerryPratchett