[Sky Wizard Affairs] Foetal Attraction

In #rabble4, Highlights, History, Illustration, Politics, Print Editionby George Stapleton13 Comments

Youth Defence Are Pricks. Illustration: Mice Hell

Founded in 1992 after the X-case to insist that the Irish state force a suicidal 12 year to have her rapist’s child. During the 90s they violently attacked pro-choice demonstrations, intimidated activists, dragged a 13 year old rape victim known as Ms C through the courts to prevent her travelling to the UK for an abortion. Then leader, Justin Barrett attended neo-Nazi rallies on the continent and published an extreme-right screed in ‘98, which advocated the expulsion of Northern Protestants.

They regularly picketed family planning clinics and intimidated employees. As more people began to recognize them for the pricks they are, they have tended to opt for the moniker ‘Mother and Child’ campaign in more recent years. They still intimidate women at the Mary Stropes Clinic on Blessington St.

If YD had their way there would be no IVF in holy Ireland. In 2006 they campaigned to prevent Ms D traveling to England for an abortion. Ms D was pregnant with a fetus missing a substantial portion of its brain and skull, which would die hours after birth.

This brings us to today’s notorious poster campaign: “Abortion Tears Her Life Apart”. Youth Defence say abortion damages a woman’s mental health. Problem is, in 2011 the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges carried out a review of all English language scientific papers that looked at mental health and abortion. It concluded that ‘unwanted pregnancies’ caused mental trauma regardless if the outcome is abortion or carrying to full term. Abortion doesn’t make things worse it just gives women another choice.

So how does YD approach the issue of contraception? Abstinence!! At least that is the message in the Junior Cert SPHE book which is linked to a defunct website www.yourontrack.org that was registered by Una Nic Mhathuna, YD spokeswoman. That’s who is teaching your kids about sex in the classroom. In response to the campaign people defaced the posters. Others called for the posters to be removed because they were lies. Hundreds attended a rally outside the Dáil against the posters.

Youth Defence are a bizarre relic of Catholic fundamentalism grasping at the reins of power. That FG senators and TDs won’t legislate for the X-case is evidence of this. So we continue to export our problem or force women to endanger their lives by buying uncertified abortion pills online. Organisations like Women on the Web supply abortion pills to desperate Irish women who are seeking some control over their bodies and their unwanted pregnancies.

Abortion is going to keep happening. Legislate for choice, listen to women.

Comments

  1. Typo, first line “They regularly picketed family planning clinics and intimidated employees. As more people began to recognize them for the pricks they are pricks they are, ”

    Duplicate “pricks they are”

  2. Thanks Jessica Connor we’ll have to get you into rabble hq before we go to print on the next issue…(in fairness to us the print edition is correct so this is from an earlier draft)

  3. Yes Maureen there is an abortion pill that you can take up to 9 weeks into pregnancy that forces a miscarraige but guess what they cannot be posted to the republic of ireland – instead you would need to have an address up north to obtain them. If you travel to the UK before the 9th week of pregnancy you can avail of them through a clinic once you are staying in residence in the UK as they will not give them to irish women who are travelling home in the same day. Most women in these instances then opt to have a procedure to terminate their pregnancy……… Hate this stupid country at times!!!!

  4. That’s how the Irish Government look after the women in their country, they deny us choice! Abortion is not for everyone I understand that but neither is parenthood and yet the government dont understand that!!!

  5. they understand nothing. that asshole that was overpaid in his pension by 16,000, and refusing to give it back. I know people that were overpaid 100e in the dole, and were forced to give it back. In one case, that dole HADNT overpaid. She had the slips and everything, and they said they’d cut off her dole if she didnt pay it back. they FINALLY admitted to it being THIER mistake, so they allowed her to pay back the money she DIDNT owe in INSTALLMENTS. that was them being NICE. god it makes me sick how little they grasp what goes on. 🙁

  6. It feels like a war is being waged against women and it doesn’t seem like there’s any end in sight. There was a glimmer of hope for the EU ruling on Ireland’s archaic laws, but at this point it really doesn’t seem like it’ll go anywhere.

  7. Pingback: Rabble #4 « Mice Hell – Illustration

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