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repeal the 8th

Noticed some shadowy figures lurking around Dublin over the weekend?

The shadows are part of a street art installation by artist Will St Leger, which finished up in the country's capitol on Saturday. 

The shadowy silhouettes and their suitcases are being erected to represent the thousands of women who are forced to travel abroad every year to seek abortions outside of Ireland. 

"Life-size silhouettes representing women will be placed in various locations across the country to visually symbolise the fact that, on average 10 women and girls are forced to leave Ireland every day to access abortion services aboard,' said the artist of the project. 

The project is supported by the Repeal project, the Abortion Rights campaign and Amnesty International. 

"Every year, at least 4,000 women are forced to travel outside of Ireland to access abortion services," said the artist, in a post on his professional blog.

"This refers to the number of women who give Irish addresses. The real figure, which doesn’t account for women travelling to other countries or purchasing abortion pills online, could be much higher."

The silhouettes were placed on Rosie Hackett Bridge at the weekend after visiting Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Meath over the past week. 

"This project will build on the progress made by Abortion Rights Campaign regional groups and other local and community groups. It will continue expanding the dialogue on the urgent need for a referendum to repeal the Eighth Amendment,” said Tarry Gleason, an Abortion Rights Campaign spokesperson. 

Even Aungier Danger supported the cause, creating a doughnut "for the women of Ireland."

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The Citizens' Assembly is hosting a formal debate between pro-life and pro-choice speakers this afternoon, as the assembly continues to reconsider Ireland's controversial constitutional restrictions on abortion.

Today's meeting is the second of four that will focus on how the 100 randomly selected members should advise government legislators later this year, on the future of the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution.

The randomly selected members will hear talks from academics and medical, legal and ethical practitioners on various topics including fatal foetal abnormalities.

Ireland’s Catholic Bishops and the pro-life side have both criticised the assembly's use of the term "fatal foetal abnormalities" in its agenda for the meeting.

A bishops' spokesperson told RTÉ that the term normalises abortion and de-personalises the life of the foetus. 

Individual case studies will also be discussed, including that of Amanda Mellet who received €30,000 in compensation from the Irish Government, after the United Nation's Human Rights Committee ruled that Ireland's ban on abortion was "cruel and inhuman". 

Over 13,000 public submissions were made to the Citizens' Assembly ahead of the meetings, after online campaigns from both sides encourage the public to get involved. 

The proceedings will be streamed on citizensassembly.ie.

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December 10 marked International Human Rights Day, and people took the opportunity to voice their opinions about abortion on social media.

Taking to Twitter, Repeal the 8th supporters donned their Repeal Project  jumpers in honour of the day, and debate roared on the social media site about one of Ireland's most controversial topics

While it's definitely a touchy subject on Irish shores, the Repeal the 8th movement has gained a lot of support since it's founding, with Repeal jumpers becoming the failsafe way to wear your political opinions on your sleeve (literally). 

Pro-choice supporters took the opportunity to use the #HumanRightsDay hashtag to further the cause of reproductive rights, after the United Nations called Ireland's abortion ban "cruel, inhumane and degrading" back in July; this came after Irish woman Amanda Mellet filed a complaint with the UN, when she was forced to "travel" for a termination. 

Amanda complained that the State’s ban on abortion had violated her human rights under international law, and the United Nation's Human Rights Committee agreed.

Both sides were out in force on the hashtag, as pro-life advocates used anonymous accounts to voice their opinions on the matter. 

"The right to life is the biggest and most important human right abortion takes that away abortion destroys human right," said one. 

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The Repeal Project has become nationally recognised thanks to its signature black slogan jumpers.

Indeed, the items are now one of Ireland's most sought-after style items, pretty much selling out wherever they are stocked.

However, unfortunately a SHEmazing! investigation has now revealed that some people are cashing in on the political campaign via fake Repeal merchandise outlets. 

 

A photo posted by Repeal Project (@repealproject) on

Claiming to be affiliated with the Repeal Project, the jumpers first went on sale in July as part of a campaign to bring visibility to the issue of abortion rights – still one of Ireland's most controversial conflicts. 

Of course, the actual Repeal Project donates all proceeds of merchandise to the Abortion Rights Campaign.

One of the seemingly counterfeit Repeal merch sites we reached out to flogs its wares on American website Teespring.

We went undercover – querying on Facebook if the clothing on sale would eventually benefit abortion efforts in Ireland. In response, we were told that profits would eventually be donated to charity.

They added by way of explanation: "We haven't actually made any money yet but I'm sure we could send you proof of a donation as soon as we do!" before immediately blocking us on all social media. 

To date, it is stated clearly on the same online platform that 32 items brandishing the Repeal slogan have been sold to date.

One concerned Facebook user posted to the site's corresponding Facebook page, which has almost 400 active followers, to ask: "Are you giving your profits to the Abortion Rights Campaign? Are you with the Repeal Project?" only to have her comment deleted by the page. 

 

A photo posted by Repeal Project (@repealproject) on

"We didn't like how they (the Repeal Project) were marketing their sweatshirts through exclusivity and pop-up shops," the page creator told another Facebook user.

When the practise was highlighted with Anna Cosgrave, founder of the Repeal Project, she told SHEmazing! "A number of 'fake' accounts have cropped up, some have been shut down."

She added: "It would be great if the people running it came forward." 

 

A photo posted by Repeal Project (@repealproject) on

A spokesperson for the HunReal Issues also told us: "My first thought when I saw there was a website selling imitation REPEAL jumpers for profit and not to support campaigning to Repeal The 8th was of course disgust, but also what a great job Anna had done on a project to get visibility for the cause as well as fundraising for the Abortion Rights Campaign."

"The fact that there's a bootleg market for the in demand jumpers shows just how many people want to show their support for the women of Ireland and their quest for bodily autonomy. That doesn't make the profiteering any less in bits though."

As of today, the fake page is still live.

SHEmazing! is still awaiting confirmation that it has donated profits to charity.

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International fashion designer Vivienne Westwood has shown her support for the Repeal the eighth project. 

The group's Facebook page posted a photo this afternoon of Vivienne holding one of their signature 'Repeal' sweatshirts. 

The post reads "Thank you Vivienne Westwood for repping #repealthe8th and Roisin Agnew, Irish journalist for supporting us since we started and making this happen."

The post has already been like over 200 times, in just 40 minutes. 

This is a major step for the repeal project, with Vivienne being one of the first international players to show support. 

The Repeal Project is an outerwear project that seeks to vindicate the rights of Irish women with regards to abortion.

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Today, two Irish women have made the decision to live-tweet their journey to the UK to seek abortions.

Beginning at 4am this morning, @TwoWomenTravel shared poignant photos of an Aer Lingus airplane, a handwritten note and the interior of a taxi – all of which they directed at Enda Kenny.

As discussion surrounding the Repeal the 8th debate continues to rage, they wrote: "We stand in solidarity with all women exiled by @EndaKennyTD, his predecessors, his apologists. #twowomentravel."

"Pretty ordinary sights, in a place away from home. Can't say it's comforting, though," they added of another shot.

And Twitter users, including The Late Late Show's James Corden, have been coming out in their droves to support them.

"Today, @TwoWomenTravel but you're not on your own in this. So many people are with you," he wrote in response to their decision to document the journey thousands of Irish women are forced to embark upon every single year.

Lending their support to the two women, members of the public have shared the #repealthe8th hashtag online while encouraging others to do the same.

 

 

 

 

It is understood that the two women will continue to share their journey until their return home to Ireland tomorrow.

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Street artist Maser made a big impression in Dublin when he created the Repeal The 8th mural on the Projects Arts Centre in Temple Bar.

It was swiftly taken down just days later, which understandably angered a lot of people.

However, fans of the art piece will be glad to know that it's not going away any time soon and was resurrected in the city this morning.

The two new murals can be seen in Blackhall Place, Dublin 7. 

The creation was first made for The Hunreal Issues, which is a website aimed at politically mobilising women in Ireland.

We hope to see more all over the country soon!

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International rugby player, Cian Healy, has come in for serious backlash on Twitter following a particularly ill-advised tweet he shared with followers last night.

Referring to the publicity currently surrounding the Repeal the 8th mural in Dublin's city centre, Cian tweeted: "Ya ain't alternative unless you're in front of a blue wall these days" and followed the comment with an eyeroll emoji.

Raging with the sport star's take on an issue which affects thousands of women in Ireland every year, Twitter users wasted no time slamming Cian for his remark.

Responding to the rugby player, one Twitter user wrote: "Ah yeah because supporting human rights is totes hipster, we're all just doing it for likes."

Taking aim at Cian's Twitter bio, another member of the public wrote: "Hey @ProperChurch 'a prop with a dream to play centre'? Well replace 'prop' with 'woman' and 'play centre' with 'have basic human rights'."

After deleting the tweet, the Leinster player told followers he was oblivious to the meaning of the mural, tweeting: "Ignorance on my part to what the "blue wall" was. Merely reacted to seeing it all over my timeline."

"Sorry for any offence caused. no political slamming on my part, nor none intended," he added. "But cheers for your lovely messages."

Unfortunately for Cian, not everyone was placated by his new tweets, with many slamming the star for pleading ignorance.

"Ignorance is bliss but it's not an excuse… #eejit" wrote one while another remarked: "Cian, you really should have at least looked it up."

"Yes how absolutely ludicrous for a woman wanting the rights to her own body. We're all insane," added another.

We can't see the controversy around this dying down any time soon.

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One Irish comedian has sparked a massive global response with her Twitter antics of late.

Gráinne Maguire took to social media in order to draw attention to Ireland’s abortion laws. 

The 35-year old from Navan decide that “since the Irish state thinks my body is their business, I should take it at its word.” 

She decided to live tweet her period. Not only that, but she was directly the messages to Enda Kenny directly.

When her tweets gathered massive attention last week on social media, BuzzFeed News spoke to Gráinne about her Twitter activity. 

“I just thought since the Irish state thinks my body is their business, I should take it at its word. They get to decide what happens inside it, so they should know the full details,” she explained.  

Many other women decided to join in on Twitter and have been using the hashtag #repealthe8th.

“I never thought in a million years so many people would get behind it,” Gráinne added. “I thought it would just be a silly prank I did on my own.” 

The eight amendment bans abortions unless continuing with the pregnancy would result in death.

“I think the tide is changing in Ireland. Women are refusing to be silent and ashamed, they want equal rights.”

The Taoiseach's twitter account has yet to respond and a spokesperson added people tweet the Taoiseach all the time on all sorts of issues and are entitled to do so. 

Speaking to TodayFm, Gráinne said that if it is possible for her to use comedy to draw attention to the issue at hand, she can handle the criticism she receives. 

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