The Blogging hiatus is Over, and Womens Reproductive Rights! Repealthe8th!

Its been nearly 2 years since I last blogged!! That is scary. Time is going way to fast for me, and I am struggling, like everyone to get on top of things. So, here I am at 7am, trying to gain some control of time and break my blogging hiatus.

Brief synopsis of the past 2 years: I finished my Masters, fulfilled a lifelong dream to go to First Nations Pow Wow, am working part-time in a charity shop and freelance in digital management such as websites, social media etc, and am trying to kickstart my own business, TriFlake Studio, a creative agency, into gear. Oh, and my son is now 11.

But never mind all that normal life stuff. This blog was always about making. I haven't been making a huge amount, but I've made a few fun things, which I will blog about retrospectively, before I loose the photos.

This post may upset some readers, as its about Women's Reproductive Rights. If you don't agree with it, its simple, don't read it, and don't comment. I don't need your disapproval, your comments or your condemnations, thank you. 

Abortion is awful. It truly is, and no one really wants one, or should have to have one. But that is not reality. Whatever the reasons, medical, monetary, mentally, women make a decision. The reality is that Irish women have abortions, we just export it. Its currently estimated between 1980 and 2016, based on the UK Department of Health statistics, at least 168,703 women and girls who accessed UK abortion services provided Irish addresses. That does not include those who don't give addresses. I am not going to go into the speech about women's rights, access to safe medical procedures, awfulness of fatal fetal abnormalities, of women dying from septicaemia because of prolonged miscarriage and lack of medical procedures. You can get all the information on these sites:
https://www.abortionrightscampaign.ie, 
https://www.repealeight.ie, 
https://www.ifpa.ie/Hot-Topics/Abortion

 photos taken by Renee Summer, from Facebook

Last Saturday, I took part in a protest, along with 40,000 other people, in Dublin, to demand the removal of the 8th Amendment, Repealthe8th. Basically, religious grounds put into our constitution to make a woman a second class citizen, and have no bodily autonomy when pregnant. Because, at it very basis, take away all the personal and religious feelings, and this is about Womens Reproductive Rights. The right to say Yes or No. Your choice. That is why we are called ProChoice. As a single parent who made a choice to have my child, I can categorically state its not easy. The stigma, the childcare issues, the loneliness. I adore my son, he is my moon and stars, but being a parent is not for everyone. Situations are different and difficult. So, that the boring part over, here the exciting part.

If there's going to be a protest, there has to be a bit of stitchery involved. I am a slightly fanatical when it comes to subversive stitchery. It adds an element to a protest that steps beyone a humble sign. Shows thought and consideration, and time into active participation of your right as a citizen. A good friend of mine is one of the regional organisers for Kerry For Choice. Over a bottle of wine (or two), as you do, she came up with a plan to make a giant uterus puppet. As you do. I had made a giant puppet for a local parade (blog post to follow), and she wanted something similar. After lots of planning, chats, near fisticuffs, we came up with this:

The Front 

 

The Back

Inside our walking uterus, is @KnickersKerry
I didnt get to take enough photos, but there was some great banners and outfits including this, my absolute fav:

Some Time Travelling ProChoicers:

 Even a Handmaiden:

Because of the enthusiasm for some ProChoice Stitchery, a new group is evolving, Knitters and Stitchers For choice. So, be prepared for some more stitching shenanigans...