TW: This article discusses abortion and has a mention of rape.
It was a busy day on Stirling’s campus. Students were catching up with each other between classes, others were walking to their next lecture, and I was standing in the Atrium with a piece of cardboard with wonky writing that read: ‘Let’s talk about the Catholic Society.’
In early March, the Students’ Union suspended the Catholic Society for supporting an anti-abortion protest outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow. According to Vice President Communities Jess Reid’s statement, the society did not adhere to the Students’ Union’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy.
On March 17, Reid announced in a follow-up statement that the Students’ Union does not have the legal means to prevent the society from attending the protest, and to continue supporting freedom of speech on campus, cannot permanently suspend the society.
This decision – and the anti-abortion campaign as a whole – has sparked massive controversy on campus and online. With a divide between the right to freedom of speech and incivility, I was eager to learn what Stirling students really thought about the matter.
Catholic Society’s anti-abortion messages
The first person I approached was Aj Whyte, a third-year English and Journalism student. She grew up Christian and now has a complex relationship with the religion.
“I don’t agree with their message,” Aj said, squeezing her yellow sweater. “I think every woman should have the right to choose, [and] every person who becomes pregnant has the right [to decide] whether they want to keep the baby or not.
“At the end of the day, it’s still a hard decision to have an abortion; it’s not something that’s made on the whim.”
Alexander Lockwood, a 22-year-old Marketing student, was already running late to a group assignment meeting but stopped by because he felt passionate about the issue. I asked him whether he supported the society’s protest or not; he placed down his briefcase and adjusted his tie. His eyes shifted to the poster behind me, and he stayed quiet for a while, gathering his thoughts.
“I support women’s rights to choose if they want an abortion or not, and I’m certainly against [anti-abortion]. Everybody should have the right to protest but at the same time, protesting in front of a hospital is in poor taste.”
“It’s like The Hunger Games.”
I walked into the Chaplaincy next. I explained who I was and what I was after, and asked the group of students if they were available for an interview. I hoped to talk with a member of the Catholic Society for a balanced outlook on the situation.
Instead, my eyes locked with a Human Psychology student, Manoo Sitta, who was with her friend, Louis Uty, who studies Computing Science and Philosophy. We exchanged a friendly smile, and I strode towards the table they were sitting at.
“It is in their holy books that they should not support abortion, so [their protest] is not a surprise,” Manoo began, her black Cross earrings dangling as she shook her head.
“Should they have done it? No, because at the end of the day – not everybody’s Catholic, not everybody’s Christian, not everybody’s Muslim. Not everybody’s religious. Not everybody’s going to listen to you all. Who are we to tell the next person what to do? Don’t tell [a person] to get rid of the baby or keep the baby. That’s not your job to do.”
Louis nodded along and remarked that this talk about anti-abortion reminds him of The Hunger Games.
“It’s like The Hunger Games. In the sequel, Katniss said that she was pregnant so everyone started talking about how they shouldn’t send her to the Games because they should protect the child. But, as we know, they were completely fine with sending teenagers and kids to the Games to die.”
Louis also wonders about what happens to the people who are victims of rape.
“Do you [still] agree that they should keep the baby or not? I say the most logical thing would be to not keep the baby. So what do you do? And do you actually care about the kids? Because when it comes to the foster care system, which is a huge system, there’s no talk about that. You don’t care about kids at the end of the day.
“This is really a conversation about powers, not really about kids. I feel like the minute you see it that way, then you really see what’s the truth behind it.”
The society’s reinstatement: a case of privilege, or the law?
When asked about their thoughts on the society’s come-back, many students were split on their opinion.
I asked Manoo what she thought about the society’s reinstatement, and she let out a small laugh. “If we’re going be real, it’s [because of] their privilege.
“Catholicism is a big thing, so they’ve got all the respect, but I’m not surprised about them being unsuspended. It is what it is.”
Louis agreed, saying that it was “performative” of the Union to suspend them at the start.
“We lead the African Caribbean Society. If we did something similar, we’d be shut down or de-platformed. I feel like race, [and] privilege, they come together for why the Catholic Society was forgiven.”
While Manoo and Louis consider the society’s reinstatement to be about privilege, most students in this interview regarded it as a matter of the law.
Louis Gallagher, a Sports Development and Coaching student, didn’t know about the Catholic Society situation before our conversation. When asked about his opinion, he scratched his chin, eventually placing his hands into his navy hoodie.
“I disagree with [the reinstatement], personally, but I think it’s tricky when you start getting into the realms of who you ban and who you don’t ban because there’s a lot of divisive arguments about that.
“I’m not a fan of their [anti-abortion] messages, and I think most people probably agree with that.”
Charlie Grant, who studies Digital Media, also sees it as a “tricky” affair.
Crossing his arms, he said: “I understand that by law [the Union] legally can’t suspend them for freedom of speech reasons, but at the same time, it can cause harm to people, you know, and it can be quite a difficult subject to talk about.”
A fourth-year English and Journalism student, who wanted to remain anonymous, also wasn’t aware of the controversy. Regardless, she wasn’t surprised that “the law is acting as a sort of ‘block’ in society’s attempt to progress regarding these types of opinions.”
“I’ll always be an advocate of people who favour personal choice over those who try to suppress that. They have the right to their opinions, and I appreciate that it’s polarising, but I’ll never be able to get behind it. It feels like there’s a favouring for control… which doesn’t really surprise me, if I’m honest.”
Zoey Thomas, a fourth-year Film and Media student, saw the “ridiculous” situation quite plainly: “While it’s complicated because there’s all the freedom of speech stuff, at the same time, it’s against the Union policy, so if it’s against Union policy, it’s correct for them to get kicked out.”
“It’s unfortunate that the law is not on the Union’s side in terms of the suspension,” Aj stated. “This is why I think it’s important for these buffer zone laws to be implemented and passed.”
A society that is anti-abortion “doesn’t look very good on the university.”
“I get that everyone has their own opinions,” Aj continued, clasping her hands. “But I think it’s weird to know that there are people out there who don’t think I should be able to have an abortion if I want one.”
Alexander picked up his briefcase, ready to depart as he saw a herd of students coming his way. Classes had just finished, and he didn’t want to be any later than he already was to his meeting.
Before leaving, he said: “If I’m not mistaken, all societies at the university to some extent represent the university since the university provides [them with] some funding. I don’t think it looks very good for the university to be represented by societies that conduct such activities.”
It’s not your choice. It’s my body. If I don’t want to be pregnant, I’m not gonna be pregnant.
Aj Whyte
Ludovico Caminati, who studies International Politics, noticed my cardboard on his way to a Politics seminar. He’s also a NUS Delegate and represents Stirling’s Students’ Union and the university.
“I find the anti-abortion messages of the Catholic Society threatening and deeply unsettling.
“I feel sad that there is a society like that at our university, I think we have a very welcoming and inclusive university, Union, and student body as a whole so it does make me angry to know that there are people that are happy to shame people just because they want to have a choice over their body and their life.”
“It’s okay to have your thoughts,” Louis Uty acknowledged. “But I feel like the difference with [the Catholic Society] is that they have the power at the end.”
Manoo wrapped herself in her beige jacket, which rested on her shoulders. “I think that if there can be a society that supports women to have an abortion, there’s going to be the society that has opinions where it’s the complete opposite.”
“It’s about respect and consideration. You can have your opinions and you can have your mindset, but keep it within the ones who [share it]. You don’t have to go to the next side and say, this is why we’re right and this is why we should have a bigger voice than you, because you don’t.
“We’re all equal. So, at the end of the day, you have no right and no power to overpower anybody who’s got a different mindset or a different view on what you believe in.”
Featured Image Credit: University of Stirling Catholic Society / Facebook
A 23 year old aspiring writer.
News Editor at Brig Newspaper, 23/24. / Comment Editor, 22/23.
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