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Posts
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@pete wrote:
There’s something wrong if by seeing the advert people can think “oh if i do get pregnant i can always go to them” I doubt anyone 16 or over doesn’t know about the availability of abortion, and if they’re under 16 their parents will know. Certainly their doctor would give them options. It encourages an “I don’t have to worry too much Marie Stokes will solve it” attitude.
I hear what you’re saying Pete….although most of us as adults see the advert a certain way does not mean the youngsters see it the same way. I also doubt many 16 yr olds don’t know about the availability of abortion, but lots of youngsters know drugs are wrong but we still try to tell them about it. We simply cannot assume what we know is widely known to others. It seems a trend that younsters do not opt for abortion for unwatned pregnancies as much as maybe older ladies. Why is that? Therefore the problem is obviously to prevent the pregnancy in the first place. Somthing Govenments and schools go on about all the time but somthing that just simply isnt happening.
Are we as a country losing the battle to educate youngsters on this subject and it’s sadly come to the point where offering abortion so flippantly is the only option to prevent the already out of control situation escelating even more?freaky was an adopted baby in the 1960’s
so in theory, freaky should be against abortion, cos 1 year later and freaky might have been one.
freaky is pro-choice.
unwanted pregnancies is probably THE most significant social problem in the UK
freaky says, CUT IT OUT
seriously,
don’t feel guilty,
cut it out,
move on and have a great life xxx
@freakydancer wrote:
seriously,
don’t feel guilty,
cut it out,
move on and have a great life xxx
God you make it sound so clinical.
Most women who have abortions feel guilty for the rest of their lives, even though they know it was the right decision at the time.
I do think its a personal choice, and must be a very hard desicion for most. I have no problem per say with abortion, but disagree with it being used as a form of contraception. If you don`t want to get pregnant use protection.
There are no clear cut rules, what happens if the woman doesn`t want the child, but the father does? Should abortion only be done for medical reasons?
Personally I cannot picture a scenario where I could go through an abortion, having had several misscarraiges, but my hart goes out to anyone facing such a choice.
Marie Stopes is not just about abortion, it’s a not-for-profit organisation that actually came into being to advise people, men as well as women, about contraception at a time when condoms were still hidden under the counter and barbers would ask men “something for the weekend sir?”. Abortion was legal if you were prepared to face the disdainful looks of your GP who would try to talk you into keeping the baby, and then jump through umpteen hoops to finally get to the abortion clinic where you were treated as the lowest of the low – that’s assuming your GP didn’t turn you away because they didn’t agree with abortion. Not so many years before Marie Stopes was founded, if you did get pregnant you drank lots of gin and took hot baths and finally in desperation turned to some back-street abortionist and risked your life.
Thank god we’ve come a long way since then.
Their aim is always to provide information and access to contraception to stop pregnancy, then if you do find yourself pregnant, to advise on all the options open to you, one of which is abortion.
Do we still need to have organisations like this? Doesn’t everyone know about these things now?
Well, no, not everyone. The children of a friend of mine go to the Roman Catholic secondary school, her husband is RC, she is not aligned with any one faith and her children are being brought up to make informed decisions without the constraints of the catholic faith. She has been a responsible parent and sat down with both her children and talked about sex, contraception, etc. so was interested to hear about what they thought of the sex education classes at school compared to what she had told them. She was aghast to find that the sex education consisted of the sexual act (which of course only takes place between married couples) and sexual diseases. Not one mention of contraception. When her son asked about contraception, he was told that it was not appropriate discussion material – end of conversation. No contraception advice at all. Her son ended up telling some of the catholic boys who were interested about condoms….that was the extent of their education on contraception.
Condoms can only be advertised after 9pm, that will change on 1st September. Contraception is still not openly discussed. If a girl carries condoms she’s easy and looking for it, if a boy carries condoms he’s on the pull….that message needs to change to they are being responsible. When we start talking about contraception more openly and make it as socially acceptable to buy as a tube of toothpaste (how many tubes of toothpaste have you bought when you really wanted condoms?) then maybe there’ll be less need for abortion, but it will never go away.
It’s time to be grown-up about these things.
realises how much she’s typed and pushes the soapbox away…. :-
That still doesn’t mean we have to have TV advertisments. I think it sends out the wrong message “go out get laid if you happen to get pregnant you know where to come :wink: “
These are teenagers mainly and not the most responsible of people.
As for the cut it out don’t feel guilty comment, makes me ashamed to be a man really.I agree with everything thats being said. Jen I suspect your friends children go to a catholic school thats why condoms were not discussed? All 3 of mine went to a Catholic school, the older 2 junior and senior, my youngest just junior. And although their sex education at junior did not discuss contraception, the senior cathoic school did.
Why do some people get embarassed about condoms? I don’t know, but I sell them in the shop and get very embarassed when someone asks for condoms. I pray to god they tell me what type they want so I don’t have to ask them! We never discussed sex in our household as I was growing up, if someone was kissing on the tv, whoever had the remote control (children included) they discreetly turned the channel over. All said, none of my siblings or me had unwanted pregnancies. Common sense and shear fear of getting pregnant out of wedlock made damn sure I was a good girl! The thought of embarassing my family and letting down my mum was enough for me be sensible.Maybe it should be advertised, so at least people can make informed choices. As for sexual education in schools, my daughter is 5 so I have a few years yet though my husband and I are open and honest about any questions she has, or will have. I appreciate that education needs to be relevant to age but surely contraception should be discussed alongside the act.
There is still some embarrassment about buying condoms…why? Do you get embarrassed buying loo roll? I applaud anyone who on a night out carries condoms (male or female), having them is not signaling that youre “up for it”, not to me, it means that you respect your body and health and are aware that somtimes being prepared is a good idea.
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