Does Sunak hate women?? His new Minister for Women Appointment is 100% anti-abortion.

[Rainbunny]

Just learned that Sunak has appointed Maria Caulfield as his Minister for Women! This is an MP who voted against legalizing abortion in Northern Ireland and wants the time-limit for abortion in the UK reduced. She has stood up in Parliament and lied, outright lied with a nonsense claim that fetuses born at 18 weeks have lived long and healthy lives - 100% untrue. She is against buffer zones outside clinics and she's a past officer of a pro-life, anti-abortion organisation.

WTF!! This is who Sunak thinks will look out for women's interests? 90% of the UK public support legal abortion, 1 in 3 women will need an abortion at some point.

There's a lot we don't actually know about Sunak and what sort of man he is but we're learning quickly...

Are you actually saying that people can't be misogynistic if they marry or employ women?

I wish pro-abortion people would realise that most anti-abortion sentiment has nothing to do with "hating women" and everything to do with not wanting unborn babies to be euthanized because they would be an inconvenience. Vast majority if abortions in this country are elective. I used to be pro-abortion, but now would like to see a reduction in time limits for electives at least. Medical emergencies are different of course, but very rare.

We might have rights, but we also have a responsibility for our unborn children, that we made. Not their fault.

The state should not force me to be an incubator.

No heterosexual men can be misogynists? What about the ones who beat or rape women?

The only thing worse than abortion is forcing someone to raise a child they don’t want and forcing a child to be raised in that environment.

When I meet a hardline pro lifer who is also pro-welfare state, pro higher benefits, pro higher funding for education, better maternity and paternity provision and subsidised childcare then I might listen to them a little more.

As it is pro-lifers are usually anti poor single mothers and their concern for the unborn child seems to stop the second they are born.

When the same person is against abortion but in a benefit debate hashes out the line ‘don’t have kids you can’t afford’ the irony would actually be funny if it wasn’t so utterly depressing.

What happens when those "proper precautions" fail? The whole idea of contraception is to prevent unwanted pregnancies so logic suggests that a pregnancy that occurred due to contraceptive failure is an unwanted one. Forcing someone to go through with an unwanted pregnancy then give birth to a child they didn't want.....what could possibly go wrong???

@arctica what's her views got to do with him employing her? You think he employed her because she wants abortion to be illegal or something else?

Where the fuck had anyone said anything about making hiring someone illegal?

What exactly do you think is unreasonable about the current time limits?

The majority of abortions in this country (89% of them) take place prior to 10wks with the remaining majority being carried out by 13wks. From 12wks onwards the number of abortions rapidly decreases and the number being carried out on medical grounds increases. Only 1% are carried out at 20wks and the majority are for medical reasons, with 0.1% occurring post-24wks (around 248) all of which are for specific medical reasons.

Basically though, under current rules, women could decide at 23+6 that they don't want to be pregnant anymore and could legally end that pregnancy... except they don't. Over 90% of women who don't want to be pregnant arrange an abortion within the first trimester of pregnancy - aka, as early as possible. The majority of abortions occurring after this are more likely to be on medical grounds when they reach the stage where antenatal testing begins to take place and issues are identified which weren't apparent earlier in the pregnancy - aka, as late as necessary.

The balance of time limits seems about right to me.

Thankfully it isn't an issue in this country, regardless of minister, or party, abortion will never be criminalised, because MP's always have a free vote on issues like this, and the majority are always in favour of legalisation. Also, on the whole, religion and politics don't mix in this country. I would like to see the bishops and others removed from the Lords tbh, but the commons is a secular space.

It will (hopefully) never be criminalised but I would never bank on it, not when people seem to think the bodily autonomy of 50% of the population is an issue that is up for debate.

And even if they didn't criminalise it, they could keep it legal but make it increasingly difficult. For example, introducing mandatory counselling, rescinding the exclusion zones around clinics, requiring consent from the father, closing clinics so women have to travel, and so on.

Yanbu I Think suella braverman also recently voted against safe buffer zones outside healthcare clinics

Life is so precious? You aren't anti abortion you are anti safe, legal abortion.

If people think women will stop seeking to terminate if the law says they can't - that's delusional - what will happen is women - live women - possibly with dependant children - will die from unsafe procedures - but that's okay because life is precious - except their lives.

I've had 5 miscarriages - don't use women's experiences to justify forcing other women to be pregnant when they don;t want to be.

As early as possible - as late as necessary - a hill I will also die on.

As for buffer zones - I've told this story before

I had to support a woman to attend an STI screening at a clinic when I was a support worker with rape crisis - because the clinic also did referrals for legal safe termination we had to walk through an angry mob waving pictures of fetuses and hurling abuse - I was spat on and called Hitler - this woman had been through hell and then had to face this. Most of them men - screaming at her.

such moral, Christian wonderful people!

Buffers are essential

Well, that is worse than abortion, but it’s far from “the only thing worse than abortion.”

There are loads and loads of things worse than abortion. Because abortion is a good thing.

I don’t mean it’s a fun experience of course, but women being able to access abortion should they wish to is definitely a good thing.

@BigWoollyJumpers @FarmerRefuted It’s a common misconception that abortion is “legal” in the UK.

The Abortion Act 1967 provides a legal defence for doctors to perform abortions, but abortion technically remains a criminal offence under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Level Up and others, have called on the government to decriminalise abortion.

So anyone who is pro-life must hate women in your opinion?

You can't value women and their lives very highly if you put a non life before their right to bodily autonomy - no?

@Rainbunny he's the leader of a party that hates women.

So did Kemi Badenoch - the darling of so many here who claim to prioritise women's rights above all else.

Yes. If you seek to force women and girls to birth unwanted children then of course you hate women and girls.

Wanting to deny women bodily autonomy, exhibiting prejudice against their right to seek appropriate healthcare (including denying them that healthcare), and limiting their life choices/opportunities due to that denial of autonomy are all indicators of hating women.

It has shit all to do with protecting unborn children and absolutely everything to do with punishing women for the crime of having sex.

Being anti abortion without adequate access to full proof contraception is just unworkable.

It's concerning isn't it. I think Therese coffey (previous health minister,) was also anti abortion.
I think the answer is quite simple, if you feel abortion is against your personal beliefs then don't have one. No one will force you.

Exactly that.

If you don't want an abortion then that is your choice. I will support your right to not have one, for you to have the bodily autonomy to decide that you want to continue that pregnancy. If the government tried to force abortions via legislation then I would march to protect your right not to have one.

If you do want an abortion then that is also your choice. I will support your right to have one, for you to have the bodily autonomy to decide to not continue that pregnancy. If the government tried to ban abortion then I would march to protect your right to have one.

That's how pro-choice works and that's why I can never support anti-choice views. Pro-choice gives everyone the choice to do what they want with their own body whereas anti-choice seeks to remove that freedom.