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Feminism: sex and gender

Original poster

Gibraltar abortion law

28 replies

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 25/06/2021 18:37

The referendum to legalise abortion in some circumstances has been successful in Gibraltar.

Another step forward for womens rights... Hopefully the change in law, and access, isn't too long coming for any woman who needs it.

(I still find it shocking there's parts of the UK where its not legal. )

OP posts:
CharlieParley · 25/06/2021 19:18

That's good news. As we see in Northern Ireland it's only a first step, but at least they have started towards equality across the whole UK in reproductive rights for women and girls.

OhHolyJesus · 25/06/2021 19:27

That is great news, I second what Charlie says, as with N.Ireland they have made it legal but still don't have any clinics, 3 years after the vote.

But it is progress and any steps forwards, rather than backwards, is worth celebrating!

Original poster
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 25/06/2021 19:30

Its definitely only the first step. But its a big one, as its shown its wanted.

OP posts:
NiceGerbil · 25/06/2021 20:14

Great news thank you for posting!

MotherOffCod · 25/06/2021 20:31

I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know it wasn’t legal there.

The NI differences I was completely unaware of until just before it was technically made legal too.

Embarrassed at my previous naive presumption that the UK and British territories would have the same rights for women across the board.

Original poster
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 25/06/2021 21:57

I had no idea either. I was more aware of the NI situation. But its never talked about. I think there's more awareness of whats happening in Poland and the US for example than whats happening in other parts of the UK.

OP posts:
BasiliskStare · 26/06/2021 03:22

That is good news but I guess just at the moment women have to travel. There , there ( from my reading & I am not expert ) seems to be little appetite for a termination type clinic in Gibraltar itself. - Or am I wrong? )

MrsTerryPratchett · 26/06/2021 03:27

www.asn.org.uk/

If anyone wants to donate. I haven't done a dive into their standing, board etc. But I have donated.

NiceGerbil · 26/06/2021 03:32

In the article it says they travel yes.

However as with NI.

Costs money to travel. May well cost to have the abortion. Women can't all afford it.
Difficult with existing children, in certain situations finding an excuse for traveling. Maybe no one to look after them. What do you tell work etc
Really stressful having to go somewhere that you may well not be familiar with at all.
If you're a teen. How do you get away? Where's the money coming from? What if you have no one to go with you?

All that sort of stuff.

It said the max term for having been found to have an abortion was life.

And yet they know women travel to get them. Same as it was in NI. so they're saying we know women will get abortions. But we won't allow it here. We'll just make it really really expensive and difficult for them.

Hypocritical and misogynist.

Kotatsu · 26/06/2021 10:36

Gibraltar is absolutely tiny, and very catholic (well, and Jewish and Muslim, but the people I worked with were Catholic). When I lived there, I had to get the right doctor to prescribe birth control, and some chemists wouldn't dispense it, plus obviously I had to pay for it.

I know some people in this who were on both sides, both wonderful women, both sure of their reasoning, and strongly believing it was for the best of all women.

I'm so glad it came out 'Yes'.

For quite a few bits and pieces Gibraltarians are flown to the UK - they have a big hospital, but as they are such a tiny place they obviously don't have all the specialists they need. I think what will prove the commitment is that if, the termination can't be provided in Gib, they'll use this existing set up to fly women to the UK instead (as part of their healthcare, so not at their own cost)

BasiliskStare · 26/06/2021 11:48

@Kotatsu - that sounds like a great 1st step & let us hope it happens .

BasiliskStare · 26/06/2021 11:49

@MrsTerryPratchett Thank you for that - I have ( modestly ) donated

MrsTerryPratchett · 26/06/2021 15:12

That's great!

Forgotthebins · 26/06/2021 16:56

Great to hear this. Thanks Kotatsu for the insight into how it will work.

PurpleHoodie · 26/06/2021 17:23

I had no idea they were not the same as England/Wales on this issue!

Good news.

MotherOffCod · 26/06/2021 19:16

It’s a horrifying how many of us in the mainland UK have been so totally unaware that women in other parts of the same nation have, or have had, dramatically less rights on something as fundamental as this.

How the heck does that come about? Is it media inches? I mean, we hear all about it when a US state shifts the legal boundary on abortion rights, or is even hinting at it.

PurpleHoodie · 26/06/2021 20:14

Yes!

Why is that?

SpindleWhorl · 26/06/2021 20:24

Just to say, Gibraltar isn't part of the UK; it's a British Overseas Territory.

Somewhat similarly, the Isle of Man isn't part of the UK; it's a British Crown Dependency, and also was late to legalise abortion. Lots of mid-week 'shopping trips' to Liverpool and London for those who could pay.

Northern Ireland is part of the UK and that for me has always been the real shocker.

PurpleHoodie · 26/06/2021 20:24

So many UK women do not even know what the UK and British territories comprise of.

At the moment, the government is putting feels out to push "patriotism".

How about they name all the islands, highlands and territories.

For example: How many people know about the common travel area and how this relates to Covid travel, and women only related travel issues?

SpindleWhorl · 26/06/2021 20:25

I do know about the CTA, but I'm aware I may be unusual ...

MotherOffCod · 26/06/2021 20:53

Sorry - I confess to not knowing the territories, or the Uk vs Britain differences at all clearly.

SpindleWhorl · 26/06/2021 21:08

The UK is England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. When abortion was legalised in 1967, N Ireland was excluded.

The British Crown Dependencies are the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey, which have their own parliaments. The IoM Govt only legalised abortion in 2019.

The Common Travel Area comprises the above countries, plus the independent republic of Ireland.

Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory.

I believe the above is correct.

MarshmallowAra · 28/06/2021 19:50

as with N.Ireland they have made it legal but still don't have any clinics, 3 years after the vote.

We must have because there are protestors near us outside health service/government building with placards saying "babies are killed here" and similar statements.

NiceGerbil · 28/06/2021 21:49

It means at least, I think.

That you could get the pills over the internet and if someone finds out you're not at risk of being prosecuted with a max term of life

The thing that gets me about this, NI, Ireland and I'm sure my many others was that when illegal, they knew women travelled and generally didn't do anything to stop it.

So it doesn't make sense. Is abortion awful or not? How is it somehow ok if it's somewhere else and the woman has to find money and go off to s different country tool do it IE it's made difficult and stressful...

?

wimpund · 28/06/2021 22:35

Most NI trusts are providing early abortions up to 10 weeks after that women have to travel. The service hasn't been commissioned by the department so trust are having to do it unfunded.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57425076

The local department and NI SoS are being taken to court over their failure to commission a service. Hopefully that'll sort things out. Although new first minister has brought a bill limiting late term abortions to only in the case of fatal foetal abnormalities IIRC despite NI equality commission saying it isn't compatible with CEDAW requirements.