Readers' blog: Turning a blind eye when it suits
Over the past few weeks a number of referendum posters for the no side have stuck with me.
Their interpretation of statistics have hurt me the most.
Because their figures do not include pregnancies that end in miscarriage, or stillbirth. For the no side, these pregnancies are inconvenient.
These pregnancies mess with their statistical interpretation. They turn a blind eye to those pregnancies that do not fit with their metric.
For the no side there are only two types of pregnancies: Those that end in a live birth and those that end in abortion.
For years we have turned a blind eye to pregnancies that do not fit with the metric, that do not conveniently fit within a black/white binary.
This has resulted in a climate in Ireland where we do not discuss miscarriage, where it is talked about quietly and secretly.
Turning a blind eye led to the death of Ann Lovett in Granard. Turning a blind eye led to the dumping of the bodies of mothers and babies in a septic tank in Tuam and around Ireland until the 1990s.
It is this approach that led to the introduction of the Eighth Amendment.
An amendment that does not take into account the realities of pregnancy, the complexities of life, and one which places the life and health of women in danger.
Every week the Eighth Amendment fails to account for up to 12 women who for personal or medical reasons decide not to continue their pregnancy.
It ignores their realities because they do not fit into that metric.
I can no longer stand by and see pregnancies that do not fit conveniently into a statistical tool be ignored and discounted.
I want to live in an Ireland where pregnant people, regardless of circumstance are treated compassionately, respectfully, and safely. I will vote yes on May 25.
