Free, Safe, LEGAL

“Free Safe LEGAL” is a sticker that promotes the importance of women’s health regarding abortions in Ireland. Since 1983, receiving an abortion in Ireland, including both the Republic and Northern Ireland, is illegal unless the pregnancy threatens the mental or physical health of the mother. For the Republic of Ireland, the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution is a piece of legislature that equates the right to life of an unborn fetus with the right to life of the mother, making abortion unlawful. A referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment is scheduled for May 2018.

This sticker is calling for abortion in Ireland to be “free,” or included in standard healthcare; to be “safe,” or widely available as a non-life-threatening procedure in health care facilities; and to be “LEGAL.” Buttons and stickers like this from Ireland’s Abortion Rights Campaign were sold at a “Feminism & Islam” film reading and discussion sponsored by the Galway Feminist Collective; proceeds went to the Galway Pro-Choice campaign group. The event was one of the many during “The F Word: Galway Feminist Festival” which took place during December 7-10, 2016. A second Galway Feminist Festival was held during July 5-9, 2017.