On Sunday, hundreds of anti-choice protesters gathered outside the maternity unit of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow to stage another one of their intimidatory ‘vigils’.
This latest action came as part of the international ’40 Days for Life’ campaign which runs throughout Lent.
Women accessing healthcare at the hospital were faced with the – frankly creepy – sight of protesters lined up and offering unasked for prayers and unearned condemnation.
Their presence outside hospitals and abortion clinics serves no practical purpose.
It is harassment, plain and simple.
We’ve seen an increase in the frequency and size of these types of abortion protests over the last few years.
Enough is enough.
Campaign group Back Off Scotland has long called for buffer zones outside clinics to stop the intimidation of women trying to access healthcare.
After the protest at the weekend, it demanded that the promised legislation be fast-tracked through Holyrood as a matter of priority to “stop this once and for all”.
During the leadership campaign, Humza Yousaf said he “unequivocally’’ supports the legislation and was committed to bringing it in “as quickly as is practicable’’.
It would an encouraging start to his tenure as First Minister if he made good on that promise without further delay.
Abortion protests are not about helping vulnerable women
It is revolting to hear those who seek to cause distress for women at a vulnerable time in their lives claiming to be “pro-life’’.
They are nothing of the sort.
They are vultures who target women at a place and time that they know will cause maximum harm.
And I’m sick of hearing moralising about abortion from people who have never lifted a finger to help make pregnancy (and the lifetime of caring for a child that comes after it) easier for women.
Quick message for FM @HumzaYousaf about the continuing anti-abortion protests outside QEUH in Glasgow
We need to fire on with @GillianMacMSP’s Safe Access Zones bill, so we don’t have a repeat of these scenes outside hospitals in Scotland 🏴@backoffscotland pic.twitter.com/nwBGQolcyM
— Dr Greg Irwin (@GJIrwin) April 2, 2023
There is a clear link between abortion and deprivation.
Women from the most deprived areas are twice as likely to terminate pregnancies than women from affluent areas.
To be clear: women access abortion services for a wide range of reasons. All of them are valid and none of them are any of our business.
And if maximising the country’s birth rate is the true aim then these protesters could make better use of their time elsewhere.
Abortion protests are missing the point
They could hire a coach and head down to Westminster to demonstrate against the two-child cap on tax credits, which the British Pregnancy Advisory Service says is forcing women to end wanted pregnancies.
Instead of standing outside an abortion clinic, they could target their energy into protests for better maternity and paternity conditions or universal free childcare.
Or perhaps they could do some charity work to raise money for the babies and children already here, who are suffering the devastating affects of widespread inequality, poverty and deprivation.
Any of these options would be far more “pro-life’’ than this vile behaviour outside healthcare facilities.
I volunteer at my local foodbank and we regularly see families who are at the sharp end of cuts to social security and the cost of living crisis.
Brilliant, straight-talking rebuttal of anti-abortion lies from @Gemma_clark14 on BBC Radio Scotland this afternoon! 👏 https://t.co/cSVahs1SwL
— Back Off Scotland (@backoffscotland) April 3, 2023
There is nothing more heart-breaking than having to tell a mum that you don’t have the correct-sized nappies to give her or the stocks of baby formula have run out.
Instead of condemnation or insincere prayers, the anti-choice protesters could do a collection for baby supplies for their local foodbank.
They could – as so many kind souls in our area do – knit tiny clothes for the tiny wee humans that are already here, and in need of help.
Or, they could just leave women alone, go home and practise their beliefs in a way that is not actively harmful to others.
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