A pro-choice group in Chatham-Kent is trying to find its voice after feeling oppressed in the municipality, but it turns out both sides actually have a lot in common with each other, especially a need for more education, support, and conversation.
Choice For Chatham-Kent (C4CK) is a grassroots group created by Evelyn Bryant and her partner Dick O'Hagan. The purpose of the group is to promote a pro-choice mentality and fight for a woman's right to get all the information she needs to make an informed decision when it comes to pregnancy.
Bryant believes local attitudes about those who are pro-choice forced many original members to leave the group and it is pretty much down to her and O'Hagan now. She added members were treated as less than human for their beliefs and something needed to change in the community. She said the pro-life billboards around town are an example of the bullying and oppression pro-choice advocates face.
"We've been treated like murderers,"
- Evelyn Bryant
"We've been treated like murderers," Bryant said. "It's an uphill battle though. You take the shots and just do what you gotta do. It can be frustrating, especially to hear from someone else what I should be doing with my uterus is alarming and definitely something we're trying to give an opposing viewpoint on."
Bryant wanted to be clear that C4CK is not a radical group hell-bent on helping women get abortions or promoting them as the best or only choice. The group simply wants women who find themselves in unwanted or unplanned pregnancies to have all the information they need in order to make an informed decision to do what they feel is best for themselves and their bodies.
Pro-life billboards outside of Dresden between Chatham. July 31, 2018. (Photos by Greg Higgins)
Bryant said the group started a year and a half ago, but it is still in its infancy and the only real presence it has is a Facebook page. She added the group is working with other organizations like SHORE (formerly Planned Parenthood of Waterloo) and Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights.
Bryant said the group has provided transportation and emotional support for women who have gone through with the procedure. The closest hospital which performs abortions is in London and Bryant said it makes access very difficult for those in the area. She said the distance and pro-life attitude in the municipality aren't forcing women to resort to "back-alley abortions," but said more support and information needs to be provided for women.
"Not having any resource for terminating a pregnancy within an hour and a half drive is a huge factor in peoples' decisions," Bryant said. "Especially when you reach out in an area like this and you're not given all of your options. It does deter people from accessing all of their options."
"We've had conversations with people directly who were never old [abortion] was an option," Bryant continued. "A person who doesn't want to be pregnant, who doesn't want to have a child, who doesn't want to consider adoption; you have to give them their options."
Right to Life Kent is a pro-life organization, and board chair Andrea Figueiredo said she hopes the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance never starts performing abortions.
"Personally, I would be devastated"
- Andrea Figueiredo on the CKHA performing abortions
"Personally, I would be devastated that upon arriving to the hospital for healthcare for myself and/or my loved ones, that in that very hospital, potentially at that very moment, life itself was being ended," Figueiredo said. "Not because of illness, accident, or disease, but because of a person's decision - a decision that could have been made in fear, in a hopeless state, out of lack of all the information."
She added the organization wouldn't protest outside of the hospital or make a huge deal out of the decision, but would continue to support women through programs and facilities like the Refuge in Chatham.
According to B.J. Kivell, director of client care at Refuge, women who visit to explore their options after finding themselves in an unexpected pregnancy are given information on all of their options.
"We talk about abortion, adoption and parenting. Our goal is for her to have the information so that she is able to make an informed choice."
She added since getting an abortion is a very difficult place to be, Refuge is there to listen, provide information and offer support.
"We encourage women to consider all of their options before deciding. We let them know what support we can offer them and what other supports are available in the community," Kivell said.
She added her ultimate goal is to have a woman leave Refuge knowing about all her options and be able to make an informed decision with good information.
"We would never want someone to choose something life changing if the reason they're choosing it is because they feel unsupported," Kivell said. "It is a big decision and one that is permanent. If a woman is able to fully consider all of her options and what they would look like they are able to make an informed choice."
Kivell added she sometimes sees women after choosing abortion who regret it and are struggling with that. That's why they offer "post-abortive counselling," referring clients to a certified professional counselor with Refuge covering the cost of the first session. Kivell added if women who find themselves in an unplanned pregnancy knew all the support Refuge provides, they may not choose abortion. She said Refuge's goals are to eliminate any fears a woman may have which might drive their decision to abortion, make sure they consider all of the options and know what supports are offered based on which option they choose.
"Some of the women we see will choose abortion," Kivell said. "We want to make sure they know where they can find post-abortive counselling."
As for addressing the billboards, some of which have the Refuge website address on them, Kivell said they are put up by the parent organization of Right to Life Kent so she couldn't comment on them.
"They immediately let you know the tone of the situation you're walking into,"
- Evelyn Bryant on the pro-choice billboards
"They immediately let you know the tone of the situation you're walking into," Bryant said. "They can be damaging for anyone who might be at a vulnerable point in their lives. They can be traumatizing to people who maybe had a difficult time with an unplanned pregnancy. They can be triggering to people and children."
Figueiredo commented on the billboards. She said they were put up roughly two years ago and doesn't believe they are a form of bullying or make the municipality look bad.
"I think anyone who looks at a billboard and casts a judgement on a municipality at large that appears to be a conservative community, hopefully would take time to pause and think that we are valuing each person," Figueiredo said. "Regardless of their age, whether they are pre-born or born, we are valuing each person. I'd hope that would be the message displayed."
Bryant said C4CK would like to do their own billboards but would rather devote what little resources they have to outreach and education.
"I'm not going to kid myself and pretend I'm here to change the minds of those who are so ingrained in their viewpoints," Bryant said. "We want to eventually have the resources to have a hotline, and perform like a planned parenthood type organization, but that is very far down the road."
According to Figueiredo, there are many misconceptions on both sides of the issues. She said similar to how C4CK isn't just about providing a means to terminate pregnancies, Right to Life isn't just about saving babies. It is all about the support and education.
"It is truly about empowering women," Figueiredo said. "Providing them with the resources they need to make an informed decision without judgment and without a state of fear. I think a lot of what happens to women in these moments of crisis of having an unexpected pregnancy or even victims of violence is they are making their decision out of fear."
Something both sides seem to completely agree on is the need for more conversation about women's rights. Bryant said the stigma which surrounds the word "abortion" needs to be eliminated. She added a woman's right to choose isn't up for debate and arguing over it is not her goal. With a municipal election coming up, Bryant would love to see more conversation around the topic, but isn't holding her breath.
"The municipality of Chatham-Kent is an awesome one, but I don't think the conversation of abortion is something that will win you a lot of voters. Would I be happy to see the conversation?" said Bryant. "It depends on what the conversation really is. Often when there are politically charged conversations on abortion it doesn't really accomplish much."
Figueiredo agrees the subject needs to be discussed during the election and each candidate should announce where they stand on the issue as a potential leader of the municipality.
“Whether you're on the pro-life side or pro-choice side, this a delicate issue and I think that’s exactly why we need to have these conversations"
- Andrea Figueiredo
"Because this is a human rights issue, I think everyone has an opinion," Figueiredo said. "Whether you're on the pro-life side or pro-choice side, this a delicate issue and I think that's exactly why we need to have these conversations. It is a place of division, even within our own country."
Figueiredo wasn't sold on candidates losing votes based on them being pro-choice.
"I think that might be a bit of a judgement on the community at large," Figueiredo said. "Even within our own country, we are divided."
She felt Prime Minister Justin Trudeau drew a line in the sand when he announced anyone who is anti-abortion was not allowed to run as a Liberal. She added he also eliminated funding for all non-profit organizations that identify as pro-life.
"I would dare to say that we might not be as pro-life in Chatham-Kent as a pro-choice person might think," Figueiredo said.
She added being pro-life shouldn't automatically tie someone to a strictly conservative political stance and vice versa. Figueiredo reiterated it is a human-rights issue and anyone supporting any political party should be allowed to be believe what they want about it.
CK Mayor Randy Hope didn't respond to requests for comments on the state of a woman's right to choose in the municipality or whether it would be addressed during the election.
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