National Abortion Rights Day
Today is National Abortion Rights Day, marking the day in 1974 when abortions became available on Medicare, making safe terminations accessible for the first time to women on low incomes. Laws governing abortion were liberalized about 35 years ago but while many people see women’s rights to abortion as set in stone, pro-choice advocates warn that this is far form the truth. Eva Cox, is a feminist, an academic with the University of technology Sydney and an activist with the women’s electoral lobby. She had a termination when she became pregnant at the age of 21, when abortions were illegal. She told The Wire, she was one of the lucky ones. Margaret Kirkby from pro-choice counseling service the Bessie Smyth Foundation explained the contrained access to affordable abortions in Australia.