“Men owe women a debt in Ireland:” Liam Neeson shares support of Ireland’s abortion referendum

Liam Neeson believes that Ireland’s constitutional ban on abortion should be repealed.

Famed Irish actor Liam Neeson has voiced his support in favor of the repeal of the constitutional ban on abortion in Ireland. The “Taken” star published a passionate letter in the Sunday Independent in which he said that Irish women deserve to be able to make choices about their body, adding his name to the growing list of Irish stars who have come out in support of the Yes campaign before the May 25 referendum.

Currently, the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of Ireland, ratified in 1983, gives mothers and unborn equal rights to life. On May 25, 2018, the Irish public will have the chance to vote to allow the Irish Parliament (Dáil Éireann) to put forth new abortion legislation.

Read more: Cillian Murphy urges men to vote in Ireland's abortion referendum

While abortion is supposed to be allowed in Ireland if the life of the mother is at risk, it is illegal apart from this, even in the cases of rape, incest, or a fatal fetal abnormality. Despite this, it is estimated that as many as 12 Irish women a day travel abroad for an abortion or illegally purchase abortion pills.

Neeson’s full statement reads: “There are times when we must stand for what is right. When the obvious injustice of a situation demands that we do so. For me, the upcoming referendum on the Eighth Amendment is one of those times. A time to stand up and be counted. A moment when men must stand with women.

“Men owe a debt to women in Ireland. For too long, we have at best stood by and at worst participated in a system that has stripped women of their human rights. Ireland has inflicted indignity and abuse on women for generations, and on a grand scale. In recent decades we have demonstrated the capacity to face the truth of such abuse, to own it and to do whatever we can to respond to it. And that is to our great credit. But the Ireland of the Magdalene Laundries and Mother and Baby Homes is not another country or a relic of some long distant past. Yes, gone are the days when our country used to drop our pregnant women and girls off at the gates of institutions that hid them behind high walls. Yet still, we drop our girlfriends, wives, daughters, sisters and mothers to the departure gates at Dublin Airport, forcing them to travel to other countries to access basic healthcare services and denying them necessary aftercare upon their return.

Read more: U2 losing fans after coming out in support of abortion

I am a woman. I am Irish. I have a slew of health complications that COULD put me in a situation where I would be forced to make a heartbreaking decision. If I was a resident of Ireland, the laws in place would kill me. I understand this all too well. #repealthe8th @Together4yes

— Sarah Hyland (@Sarah_Hyland) May 7, 2018

“Ireland remains a society where we see women in crisis as a problem, to be exiled overseas instead of cared for with respect and compassion here at home. It's time to end that. It's time to respect women's right to make decisions that are right for them and their families.

“Having spent a significant part of my life based outside of my home country, I have witnessed Ireland becoming a nation that leads the world on social issues yet we still treat women as second-class citizens by taking away the basic right to make choices about their own bodies and if and when to have children. For years I have campaigned for children's rights on behalf of the UN as a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador and I have been proud of Ireland's commitment to this issue, but our denial of basic human rights to women and girls means that work is far from complete.

“I can understand why some men in Ireland might feel that this is a women's issue and they should stay out of it. But this is a moment when men in Ireland must stand with the women in their lives by actively participating.

“In Ireland, men have complete control over their bodies. Women do not. Even if a woman has been raped, or her health could be damaged by a pregnancy, she has no control over what happens next.

'To respect a woman's right to decide, I'm backing yes. Make this once in a generation opportunity count' #LiamNeeson supporting #itstime #repealthe8th campaign. I urge you to be...a powerful force for change' - In today's Sunday Independent #menforyes #TogetherForYes pic.twitter.com/WKgzzrjzah

— Grainne Teggart (@GTeggart) May 6, 2018

“There's nothing wrong in not knowing everything there is to know about abortion.

“It is an extremely complicated issue and a deeply personal one. Amnesty International Ireland is helping men in Ireland have conversations with their friends and loved ones and at itstime.ie, you will find resources to help you dive into these important chats.

“Talking is the best way to understand and learn, and it is precisely this kind of dialogue that will make the difference on referendum day. I urge you to be part of this conversation, to bring it to the places where you live and work, to be a powerful force for change.

“On May 25, we have a once in a generation opportunity. It's time to care for women at home. It's time to respect women's right to make decisions that are right for them and their families. It's time for us, as men, to stand with women.”

How will you vote on May 25? Let us know in the comments section, below.