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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

A brave and stunning "six-foot aggressor"?

78 replies

Twowheeler · 10/03/2019 04:24

www.mancunianmatters.co.uk/content/090377927-pictured-anti-abortion-protestors-confronted-passerby-dramatic-scenes-outside

I've been involved in pro-choice counter activity outside abortion clinics (supporting women who want to access the clinic, not interacting with the anti-abortion campaigners) and these shifts were overwhelming covered by women. Yet, when I hear about physical confrontations with the other side, they seem to come from those who would never need an abortion themselves and are not the demographic who do the standing outside in the cold supporting women.

OP posts:
Illyria47 · 10/03/2019 06:20

Well, that was a chap wasn't it.

SoloClarinet · 10/03/2019 06:57

Appropriation

CosmicCanary · 10/03/2019 06:57

The aggressor in that article is male.

CaptainBrickbeard · 10/03/2019 07:04

I used to drive past abortion protesters and every time I felt the most visceral rage towards them. They disgust me too and the harm they cause is incalculable. I can imagine men feeling as contemptuous of them as I do - their behaviour is vile and offensive. I am not surprised that someone who doesn’t need abortion services is horrified and revolted by anti-abortionist protestors. I suppose aggression towards them isn’t right but I have zero sympathy for the kind of people who sit outside clinics like that anyway. I can’t bring myself to get upset about this story.

hometownglory · 10/03/2019 07:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NotTerfNorCis · 10/03/2019 07:39

Wasn't this a TRA/transwoman attacking anti-abortion protesters? Not that it makes it right.

Prequelle · 10/03/2019 07:40

Isn't this the same guy that got into trouble last time for the same thing?

JessicaWakefieldSVH · 10/03/2019 07:44

I don’t have much to say on this. The anti abortion protestors are interfering in women accessing healthcare. That would make men and women angry, it certainly made my husband angry.

truthisarevolutionaryact · 10/03/2019 07:44

I loathe anti abortion protesters. I hate seeing them sitting / harassing/ intimidating women outside clinics. They are wrong, misguided, unkind and oppressive of others in displaying their beliefs and we need more exclusion orders removing them away from the clinics as they intimidate and frighten women.
I am against anyone who is threatening, violent and aggressive towards them. I understand that in a democratic society we all may express our beliefs in line with the law. This behaviour crosses that line.

Trousering · 10/03/2019 07:51

Why are the referring to this "unidentified assailant" as she when he is so obviously a man?

hometownglory · 10/03/2019 07:52

Sorry, meant to say that the aggressor is pro life.

Thingybob · 10/03/2019 08:09

The 'unidentified assailant' is called Jess (or maybe Molly) as they are interviewed in the embedded video.

www.mancunianmatters.co.uk/content/130777532-we-saw-woman-throwing-holy-water-over-clinic-pro-abortion-campaigners-say

MarinaMarinara · 10/03/2019 08:18

Hold on - the “aggressor” is one of the pro choice campaigners so I am not really understanding some of the pp comments?

QueenOfTheAndals · 10/03/2019 08:21

The aggressor is clearly a man but I can't exactly sympathise with the anti-choice protesters he targeted.

StealthPolarBear · 10/03/2019 08:22

If course he or she isn't pro life surely

StealthPolarBear · 10/03/2019 08:25

I think people get pro life and pro choice mixed up. It makes these threads incredibly confusing

Muststopfaffing · 10/03/2019 08:31

I am pro choice and think there needs to be tighter restrictions around so called protests outside clinics. Women accessing abortion services need support not judgement. However, this individuals behaviour was disgraceful and more of the same TRA narc rage we’ve seen so many rimes before and I think no matter how much we agree with the underlying sentiment this behaviour should not be condoned.

Thingybob · 10/03/2019 08:32

I think people get pro life and pro choice mixed up. It makes these threads incredibly confusing

Then the media get men and women mixed up which makes it all doubly confusing ConfusedConfused

StealthPolarBear · 10/03/2019 08:36

Very true

LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 10/03/2019 08:36

Errr, man?

ChesterGreySideboard · 10/03/2019 08:43

So this person is pro choice?
I too am pro choice and anti abortion campaigners annoy the shit out of me.
However being aggressive like that to an elderly woman is not on regardless of who the aggressor is and what their reason is.

Pywife2 · 10/03/2019 08:46

I profoundly disagree with the elderly women harassing users of this clinic, but that doesn't alter the fact that the violent intervention by this young man is counterproductive and has been misrepresented by the press in a way that will work against women. It could be chalked up as another instance of a woman acting violently, when it's not. It makes the pro-choice movement look bad, and gives the media the opportunity to smear everyone involved ('both sides behave equally badly, etc.)

I also suspect that this person is using politics as an excuse for violent behaviour, in this case bravely attacking a group of people who aren't much of a physical threat. Apologies as I've said this before, but when I was at uni I was a bit of an animal rights activist, and I noticed that some young men seemed to be in it purely because it gave them an excuse for violence and bullying others. They exuded self righteousness and had a good excuse to bully other people on behalf of animals (even though as young white middle class males they suffered no actual discrimination themselves).

This young activist has probably done nothing to support women needing to use the clinic, but may have done a lot of harm by attacking these old women. And I don't condone that behaviour just because I disagree with the old women.

donquixotedelamancha · 10/03/2019 08:53

The aggressor is clearly a man but I can't exactly sympathise with the anti-choice protesters he targeted.

I don't agree with the pro life lot any more than anyone else, but we do have to defend their right to pray and protest without being attacked. We can't just believe in free speech for nice views we all like.

Ultimately this is male violence against women, whatever the trigger.

OrchidInTheSun · 10/03/2019 08:54

Some men will use any excuse to assault and harass women

JessicaWakefieldSVH · 10/03/2019 08:56

We can't just believe in free speech for nice views we all like.

Standing outside clinics while women try to access healthcare with privacy and dignity, is not an issue of free speech. They’re policing women’s movements and it is harassment in the extreme.