Today some members of SSY and assorted other pro-choice activists held a picket of the anti-choice ‘International “Pro-Life” Youth Conference’ held by the UK’s largest anti-abortion campaigning group, the ‘Society for the Protection of Unborn Children’ (SPUC).

We had a successful and peaceful day of highlighting our opposition to their anti-woman views. Unfortunately, although we only wanted to show the members of SPUC that their views would not go unopposed and make them think about exactly what their anti-choice ideas mean in reality (such as the fact that over 200 women die every day because they can’t access legal abortions), they seemed to be a bit timid and chose not to venture beyond their hotel, which was insensitively placed right beside a hospital.

Protestors begin to gather

SSY thinks it’s important to continue to defend a woman’s right to control her own body. If the potential next Tory government thinks that they can get away with eroding women’s rights over the coming years, we hope you’ll stand with us in defence of choice and safety for vulnerable women.

On a related note, American filmmaker Michael Moore, a pro-choice Catholic, has written this piece condemning his anti-choice Michigan Democrat Congressman who has attempted to halt the Obama administration’s health bill on the basis that it doesn’t erode women’s rights quite enough for his liking.

It contains some pretty shocking facts about the state of abortion rights in America – such as that regardless of it being technically legal, in 71% of American counties it is impossible for a woman to find a doctor who will be willing to perform an abortion, such is the strength of the anti-choice Right in America. You can read it here.

SSY standing up for choice

Anti-abortion nutjobs SPUC are holding their “International Youth Pro-Life Conference” this 19-21 March in Clydebank.

We’ve fought the racists and fascists on the streets of Glasgow and Edinburgh -- now it’s time to fight the woman-haters.

SPUC not only want to stop women getting abortions -- they’re also against condoms, the pill, and sex education. WTF?!

A woman’s right to control her body is a fundamental human right. Women should have total control over their reproductive system, being able to make free and informed decisions about how they live. Every undermining of a woman’s right to choose whether, when and how to have children is an attack on all women.

Every day, 200 women die because they couldn’t access a legal abortion.

After the general election in May there’s the very real prospect that abortion rights will come under heavy attack. Tory MPs want to make it more and more difficult for women to access abortion. If enough of them are elected there could be a majority in the Westminster parliament for gradually taking women’s rights to control their own bodies away piece by piece. That means we need to get organised now, and start undermining the ability of anti-abortionists to meet and organise against women. Just as we do with racists, we also need to do with misogynists.

Women’s abortion rights need to be defended.

FUCK SPUC!

Protest! Saturday 20 March, outside Beardmore Hotel, Clydebank. 8.30am.