This month is the 40th anniversary of the legislation which partly legalised abortion in Britain. This legislation was a crucial step towards women’s equality – a recent study by the London School of Economics found that access to safe, legal abortion and contraception has been more effective in advancing women’s equality than any other equalities legislation.
I worked with women’s committee to run a week-long campaign to make students aware of this, and to encourage them to sign a card to their MP expressing support for defending and extending abortion rights in Britain. As well as holding stalls in the Union foyer and out on the concourse, we also visited halls of residence where we gave out hundreds of ‘pro-choice fact cards’ to educate people about abortion rights in Britain.
Our pro-choice cards to MPs were signed by hundreds of students and we’re now planning to go to MPs offices in order to deliver the cards and speak to our local MPs about their views on abortion. With Parliament expected to discuss legislation which could threaten to restrict abortion rights, now is an important time to make MPs aware of the importance of abortion rights and the fact that 83% of people in Britain support a woman’s right to choose.
To find out when we’re visiting MPs or to get involved in future pro-choice campaigning please email me – bryony.shanks@sheffield.ac.uk
Also this week I’ve worked with the University Counselling Service to run a relaxation workshop for women students. (You can find more information on other workshops and groups run by the Counselling Service here.) I’ve also continued planning the women’s party, worked with the environment team on our Union’s Sound Impact awards entry, held meetings on the Union’s equality strategy, and done two interviews with Radio Sheffield about the 40th anniversary of the Abortion Act. And how could I forget the polling duty and vote counting for the Students’ Union Council elections – congratulations to all those elected, look forward to meeting you at our first Council meeting!
I worked with women’s committee to run a week-long campaign to make students aware of this, and to encourage them to sign a card to their MP expressing support for defending and extending abortion rights in Britain. As well as holding stalls in the Union foyer and out on the concourse, we also visited halls of residence where we gave out hundreds of ‘pro-choice fact cards’ to educate people about abortion rights in Britain.
Our pro-choice cards to MPs were signed by hundreds of students and we’re now planning to go to MPs offices in order to deliver the cards and speak to our local MPs about their views on abortion. With Parliament expected to discuss legislation which could threaten to restrict abortion rights, now is an important time to make MPs aware of the importance of abortion rights and the fact that 83% of people in Britain support a woman’s right to choose.
To find out when we’re visiting MPs or to get involved in future pro-choice campaigning please email me – bryony.shanks@sheffield.ac.uk
Also this week I’ve worked with the University Counselling Service to run a relaxation workshop for women students. (You can find more information on other workshops and groups run by the Counselling Service here.) I’ve also continued planning the women’s party, worked with the environment team on our Union’s Sound Impact awards entry, held meetings on the Union’s equality strategy, and done two interviews with Radio Sheffield about the 40th anniversary of the Abortion Act. And how could I forget the polling duty and vote counting for the Students’ Union Council elections – congratulations to all those elected, look forward to meeting you at our first Council meeting!
1 comment:
Hi Bryony,
Can you give us some information on where someone might go for help or counselling if they are struggling to cope after they have had an abortion?
Thanks
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