Today is #Humanrightsday lgbtqi rights, reproductive rights, womens’ rights, migrant rights, sex workers rights, disability rights, children’s rights are all part of Human Rights.
Unfortunately we are denied them on grounds of being ‘other’ and we do need to call out that ‘othering’ which means using labels to identify the struggles and attitudes which prevent us from having and exercising our human rights.
While cultural/societal attitudes and systemic oppression via legal systems, government systems and other institutions refuse us our Human Rights we have to keep identifying the issue and that means using the labels we have, because they don’t see us as being full Human if they are denying our Human Rights.
This popped on on my memory feed on Facebook, 4 years ago I took part in this photo op, which was for the 1st March for Choice. We have come a long way as the preparation for this years March for Choice (on the 24th of September) is in full swing.
We have come a long way in 4 years, and that is due to all of the hard amazing work people have put in to the Abortion Rights Campaign, putting in hours with skills they have, sharing those skills and learning new ones as we keep pushing for a referendum.
I am very proud of what has been achieved so far, but there is so much more work needing to be done. See you at the March starting at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square from 1.30pm.
I wrote this 11 years ago.
Back then I did talk about being prochoice online on forums and communities, I didn’t disclose I was ‘Someone’
So many people have come forward in the last few years, it is becoming clear that ‘someone you know’ has had an abortion.
If you are a #dragrace fan then Child you need to watch Paris is Burning, educate yourself on the #herstory. if you have ever called someone a Legend or Legendary, well that started in the 70/80s with the Balls. hell if you want to see how much ‘gay’ Black lingo has moved into pop culture Paris is Burning is a fascinating watch.
But I wasn’t one bit surprised. Ms Steinem was one of the Founders and Editors of Ms Magazine and it’s debut issue in December 1972 featured 52 women stating “We Had an Abortion”
This action followed on from the French & German Actions of June that year: the French magazine Le Nouvel Observateur Published the Manefestio which was orchestrated by Simone de Beauvoir and was sign by 343 women and the Stern Magazine cover is wonderful and 70 women came out about having had an abortion.
VOE STERN 24/1971 BS 1 Titel Titelseite Wir haben abgetrieben Abtreibung 1971_24 Schlagworte:Zeitschrift, Presse
All these actions happened before I was even born, but I knew that if women in Ireland are to have the right to an abortion when we need one, then just like the women in France, Germany and the USA some of us were going to have to go public with our stories. Which is why I chose to start telling my story, which by a quirk of fate was also published in Le Nouvel Observateur
But I was just one person back in 2013 but soon other women started stepping forward, and when I was asked to take part in the X-ile Project it was something I could not refuse.
Women in Ireland have started to come forward to ‘come out’ (as Panti Bliss recently put it) about their abortions, we have done so follow the footsteps of many other brave women, and Gloria Steniem is one of those women. She has shared her story about having to get an illegal abortion.
So I will be keeping an eye out for Gloria Stenism on the Women’s Podcast, I am looking forward to what she has to say about #repealthe8th, I don’t doubt she agrees that we need Free Safe Legal and local abortion services in Ireland.
In Ireland we don’t have lgbtqi people being gunned down, but we still have lives lost due to Homophobia, Biphobia & Transphobia.
Achieving marriage equality has not stopped lgbtqi people being beaten up.
Achieving marriage equality has not stopped lgbtqi people from ending their own lives.
Achieving has not stopped lgbtqi people’s potential being crippled by the impact Homophobia, Biphobia & Transphobia has on their mental health.
Achieving marriage equality has not stopped lgbtqi people from being or becoming homeless, from living in poverty, from struggling with addiction, due to the impact on mental health & emotional well being.
Achieving marriage equality has not stopped lgbtqi young people from having to stay at ‘home’ in nonsupporting toxic spaces, as they can not afford to move out.
Homophobia, Biphobia & Transphobia in Ireland ruins and takes lives in far slower crueler ways then bullets.
The LGBT Helpline is Opening early to day, from 4pm on wards.
