Ireland’s Abortion Law: Travel and Trauma in Tara Flynn’s “Three: three”

Abstract

[eng] The 25th of May 2016 marked an important historical event in Ireland for women’s rights and reproductive rights after a staggering 66.9% of Irish civilians voted in favour for the annulment of the 8th Amendment. Despite this seemingly positive advance for Irish society, the campaigning for the referendum was a brutal and ruthless time, especially for those who had undergone terminations prior to the event. Before the referendum, an average of 3,000 women a year seen themselves forced to travel, mainly to the United Kingdom, to undergo legal and safe abortions as this was completely inaccessible within Ireland and was considered a federal offence. During the referendum, ‘pro-life’ supporters used these women’s stories as a way to support the 8th Amendment and attack ‘pro-choice’ supporters and campaigns such as Together For Yes. This dissertation provides an in-depth analysis of Tara Flynn’s text “Three: three” which juxtaposes the story of a woman who is travelling to the UK in order to terminate her pregnancy, with the negative backlash received by those who are against abortions. By looking into this text, the following work reflects on the emotional and psychological impact that travelling for abortions has had on women, combined with the fear of how others will react to their choices. Furthermore, it illustrates the fact that this is not an option that is easily accessible for everyone as it requires a heavy financial cost. After putting the reader in the shoes of this woman, it then contrasts her emotions with the negative and vicious backlash received on behalf of pro-life supporters, including those whose opinions are based on religious, Catholic beliefs. Finally, it touches upon the impact of the internet and social media as a way to dangerously call out and attack women for their choices, before also looking into the positive aspects of this, such as the spread of objective information to voters.