Pro Choice Coalition Ottawa (PCCO), the main organizer of Carleton’s second annual Womyn and Health Week, was met with criticism and questioning from Pro-Life protestors at the week’s first event March 15, which discussed the legal issues surrounding reproductive freedoms.
The Carleton protestors were yielding posters with pictures of fetuses and said they were present in an effort to draw attention to the humanity and life of a fetus in the womb of a pregnant woman.
When two of the three panel experts unexpectedly cancelled, Heather Montgomery, a Carleton psychology and sexual studies student activist and PCCO member, lead the discussion to address the concerns of educating women on their options and to express support for equality as well as ending oppression in Canada and around the world.
One Pro-Life advocate asked what her thoughts were on the unborn fetus.
“I think whatever is going on inside there has the potential to be a person,” Montgomery replied, and later added, “whenever the mother decides it becomes a child.”
Pro-Life and LifeLine club leader Ruth Lobo said there is not enough emphasis placed on the dangers of abortions.
“Women aren’t told that abortions hurt them. In the future we want to continue to educate women and look toward showing and explaining the humanity of the unborn with more graphic images, show support for women and protect the unborn,” Lobo said.
On behalf of PCCO, Montgomery said she trusts and supports any decision whether it is adoption, abortion or choosing to birth and keep the child. She said she would vow to help these women in any way she can for whatever decision is made.
During the talk, both pro-choice and pro-life advocates managed to find some common ground on certain topics such as healthy food alternatives, access to affordable childcare as well as promoting maternity and paternity leave.
One man wanted to know what both sides could do to work together and create more civil dialogue on campus at Carleton.
“It’s about the vulnerable women in the middle of the battle between the two extreme ends. It seems we agree on most things, we have a lot of support for women and should make that the focus,” he said.