Humanists defend abortion rights

October 23, 2017

Reproductive Rights

Humanist Society Scotland has responded to a statement by The Bishops’ Conference of Scotland lamenting 50 years of the Abortion Act.

Spokesperson for Humanist Society Scotland, Ronit Quayle, said:

“The majority of Scots recognise the importance of a woman’s right to choose. We in Humanist Society Scotland have consistently promoted and defended women’s rights in Scotland.

“Abortion is a private decision, between a pregnant person and their doctor. Forcing somebody to be pregnant against their wishes and violating a their bodily autonomy is barbaric.

“In any case, banning abortion does not do much to reduce the rate of it. As ever, poor women bear the burden as abortion will always be available to women with the means to access it. When it’s illegal, women often put their own health at risk accessing unsafe terminations.

“In an ideal world, all pregnancies would be wanted and viable. But as we don’t live in an ideal world, let’s ensure that all women can freely and safely access the healthcare they need.”