My wife-to-be is somewhat of a modern medical marvel, having undergone a procedure most of us could never contemplate. Through her early to mid-twenties she suffered from ulcerative colitis which resulted in all of her large intestine being removed.
Instead of a large bowel, she has what is cutely referred to as a ‘pouch’, through which she processes her food. She eats, and lives normally, due to a transformative and complex surgical intervention, without which her day-to-day life may have become increasingly difficult.
From the moment she told me about it – about halfway through a gin and tonic on what I think was our second date – I’ve always understood how important medical access for women is to her, both as an individual need and as a wider issue.
It is, to an extent, through that lens of our personal experience that I absorbed the news about last week’s unfortunate anti-abortion protest by members of the Scottish Family Party at the Castlegate in Aberdeen – a sorry sight, in my opinion.
It is also partially through that lens that I now understand the importance of safe medical access for women, at times of great difficulty. I have always been pro-choice, but I now understand abortion access and the barriers that are placed in front of it, in a fuller way.
Castlegate no place for abortion protestors
Aberdeen’s soon to be refurbished Castlegate, due to its proximity to the Aberdeen Community Health and Care Village on Frederick Street, sits within one of Scotland’s newly established safe access zones for abortion services – this broadly outlaws pro-life protests within these boundaries.
Yet a small group of protestors, mostly blokes from the look of the video filmed and posted on social media, chose to ignore rules and laws and rustle their crisp packets.
Officers attended and the protest, as I understand, was disbanded, but not before a bit of a scuffle. A provocative placard reading ‘18,207 lives lost to abortion in one year’ was kicked over by counter-protestors – I understand the depth of feeling.
Buffer zones were established as a reasonable pushback to this kind of intimidation outside Scottish clinics. It’s crucial their boundaries are respected to protect those in need, and staff who work within the service.
Of course, the SFP are entitled to their protests, elsewhere in spaces not protected by the law. However, it boggles my mind why they feel entitled to pressurize others about their medical choices.
It boggles my mind men think they know what’s best for women’s health
It also boggles my mind why men frequently believe they know best what women need from healthcare. As I won’t have to explain to most folk reading this, a person may seek advice from these clinics for any number of reasons. It is not for us to judge why anyone may choose to end a pregnancy. We must remember that no one takes these decisions flippantly, or lightly. The weight of choices about women’s health, and bodies, is heavy on their minds.
The clinics may be used by women who have been sexually assaulted, or whose pregnancies are not viable. They may be used by women whose wellbeing is in danger as a result of a pregnancy. Frankly, it’s no one’s business but theirs.
Zealotry often doesn’t see reason – see Vice President JD Vance’s comments about buffer zones preventing prayer in private homes. Rubbish of course, but a lie can travel halfway around the world before the truth puts on its shoes.
The positions of people in power – even those outside our own political institutions – are not to be taken with a pinch of salt. Many of the Evangelical protest groups across Scotland who turn up outside clinics, to pressurize staff and women, are funded from the US.
The avoidance of facts by people of influence, like the Vice-President, or his misogynist boss, makes it all the more important to speak out in defence of both safe access zones, and the services they protect.
It’s a real shame that we’ve now seen the impact of these comments closer to home.
Safe access zones have been a huge political win in Scotland, carried through our Parliament overwhelmingly and endorsed by political parties across the spectrum, other than the aforementioned. Anything that may lead to their erosion or spoiling must be strongly rebuffed.
It would be hugely damaging if any protests were allowed to continue in future within the protected areas around our community healthcare settings and hospitals – and that even goes for a civic space like the Mercat Cross at Castlegate; there are plenty of other places to take such ignorance, away from where it can affect those going through enough trauma already.
Abortion access is healthcare, and it must be available for those women who are in need. Whilst democracy is for everyone, buffer zones should be respected, and on abortion access specifically, women’s voices should be listened to most closely.
Colin Farquhar works as a creative spaces manager and film programmer in the north-east culture sector
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