On 3 March, the head of ALRANZ, Terry Bellamak wrote: “Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. It marks the beginning of the anti-choicers’ annual [40 day] protest outside hospitals and clinics where abortions are performed.
“This year, ALRANZ will spend these 40 days celebrating truth. The protesters are well aware their efforts do not change the minds of those seeking care. Rather, it seems the protesters’ purpose is to increase the emotional cost of seeking abortion. Arrayed in front of the hospital with signs, singing hymns and staring at every woman of childbearing age who approaches the door, they embody abortion stigma.
“Many of their signs carry false messages, claiming abortion causes breast cancer, infertility, depression, and anxiety. Some claim the existence of a condition they call ‘post-abortion syndrome’. None of these claims is true.
We proclaim ourselves to be pro-truth.
For the next 40 days, each day we will post and tweet one fact about abortion to counter the lies of anti-choice busybodies. So keep an eye on your feeds – there may be something there you didn’t know before.”
Some ALRANZ tweets @alranztweets #40daysfortruth – each accompanied by a bona fide source.
> Most people don’t regret their abortion. 28 February 2017
> Having been denied an abortion is associated with psychological harm to women, but abortion is not. 12 March 2017
> Highly restrictive abortion laws are not associated with lower abortion rates. 13 March 2017
> Abortion is an extremely safe procedure, with complications occurring less than 0.25% of the time [USA data]. 14 March 2017
SOURCE: Terry Bellamak, ALRANZ President, E-mail, 3 March 2017