67 percent of Irish would like to see abortion decriminalized according to Amnesty International’s newest study.iStock
Women in Ireland are tweeting stories of their menstrual cycles to Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny as part of a campaign to repeal the country’s strict laws banning abortion.
The Guardian reports that the campaign #repealthe8th aims to overturn the eight amendment to the country’s constitution, which criminalizes abortion.
Anyone who procures an abortion illegally can be punished with a 14-year prison sentence. Abortion is only legal in Ireland if the woman’s life is determined to be at risk.
Grainne Maguire, the woman behind the campaign, has encouraged Irish women to share the details of their periods:
“Women of Ireland! Your vagina is their business! Tweet @EndaKennyTD your menstrual cycle #repealthe8th”
Since we know how much the Irish state cares about our reproductive parts-I call my womb Ireland's littlest embassy ;-) #repealthe8th (1/3)
— Gráinne Maguire (@GrainneMaguire) November 2, 2015
Many women have followed Maguire’s lead:
There'll be shrieks of "undignified!" at tweeting @EndaKennyTD about periods. Know what's undignified? Lack of bodily autonomy #repealthe8th
— Tara Flynn (@TaraFlynn) November 4, 2015
Hey @EndaKennyTD are you BLEEDIN listening to these tweets? We're waiting for a BLOODY response @GrainneMaguire #repealthe8th
— Jo Halpin (@sunniecoolbeans) November 5, 2015
I'm bleeding! @EndaKennyTD Bleedin outraged that Irish women in the 21st Century don't have the right to chose #repealthe8th
@EndaKennyTD 1st period since my stillborn baby. I carried her for 6weeks after her diagnosis, losing my mind with grief. #repealthe8th
— Claire (@DelsolClaire) November 4, 2015
Kenny has not responded on Twitter, but the taoiseach has said he will not commit his Fine Gael party to a referendum on the issue.
“In respect of the eighth amendment I do not favour abortion on demand and I have no intention of abolishing the eighth amendment without considering what it might be that might replace it,” said Kenny.
“But believe me, believe me, to commit to abolishing the eighth amendment without consideration of what you might do is not on my radar.”
Ireland’s abortion ban has become a major issue in the run-up to the country’s next general election.