Prelims

Half Title Page

Anti-Abortion Activism in the UK

Endorsements

This beautifully written and carefully researched book deepens our understanding of the different positions in the debate about abortion, presenting them as coherent but clashing moral stances. This is sociology of religion at its best – a timely reminder of why it is so important.

–Linda Woodhead, F. D. Maurice Chair in Moral and Social Theology, King's College London

In this book Pam Lowe and Sarah-Jane Page have produced a compelling exploration of anti-abortion activism in the UK. Combining expertise from the fields of the sociology of reproductive health and the sociology of religion, Lowe and Page begin with a superbly detailed historical background of abortion law in the UK, this is followed by findings generated by lengthy primary research. The end result is a unique, richly layered insight into those who ascribe to anti-abortion positions that will be of interest to academics, students, faith communities, activists and the public at large.

–Dr Fiona Bloomer, Senior Lecturer, Social Policy, Ulster University

The conceptual innovation in Pam Lowe and Sarah-Jane Page’s analysis of anti-abortion presence outside abortion clinics in the UK as lived religiosity makes fascinating reading. It is detailed, insightful and thought-provoking.

–Dr Barbara Baird, Women’s and Gender Studies, Flinders University, South Australia

Anti-abortion ideology is often cloaked in claims to objectivity, whether it be through invoking claims of scientifical rationality or moral absolutism. In their book, Pam Lowe and Sarah-Jane Page combine the fields of the sociology of religion and reproductive health with 5 years of fieldwork amongst activists to return us to the central role religion plays in the motivations, worldviews, and actions of anti-abortionists. Their book provides both an overview of the politics of abortion in Britain and new and fresh insights, and thus will be of interest to students, specialists, and anyone with an interest in British abortion or religious cultures.

–Dr Erica Millar, Department of Social Inquiry, La Trobe University, Australia

Anti-Abortion Activism in the UK is a must read for any scholar, student or person interested in understanding the intractability of the contemporary conflict over abortion. Although modern activists package their opposition to abortion in secular paper to gain political traction with a public that largely views religion as a private matter, Lowe and Page’s meticulously researched, five-year ethnographic study reveals that the heart of the conflict is profoundly religious. Anti-Abortion Activism in the UK illuminates the degree to which anti-abortion activism is moored to a distinct worldview where the relationship between activists’ lived religion and opposition to abortion is inseparable. Drawing on multiple sources of data, Lowe and Page brilliantly demonstrate that an ultra-sacrificial construction of motherhood is centered as both sacred and profane in this worldview, which gives abortion opponents meaning and an indefatigable edge in their activism over both time and space.

–Alesha E. Doan, Professor, Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies, School of Public Affairs & Administration University of Kansas

Although this book is primarily UK focused; I implore US readers not to let this deter you as there is a great deal to be learned. Lowe and Page provide a brilliantly original and sharply-focused articulation of this activism as an invocation of ‘lived religion’, which is ritualized in the public zone outside of reproductive health clinics. The authors also stress the importance of recognizing national contexts. This contextualization offers potentially new and productive ways of seeing and conceptualizing that which is familiar. I also want to commend Lowe and Page for their clear and highly comprehensible writing style. No terse overly-academic language here. This makes the book an invaluable and appealing read for multiple audiences, including academics, students, activists, policy-makers, and the interested public.

–Shoshanna Ehrlich, JD Professor Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, University of Massachusetts Boston

Series Title Page

Emerald Studies in Reproduction, Culture and Society

Series Editors: Petra Nordqvist, Manchester University, UK and Nicky Hudson, De Montfort University, UK

This book series brings together scholars from across the social sciences and humanities who are working in the broad field of human reproduction. Reproduction is a growing field of interest in the UK and internationally, and this series publishes work from across the lifecycle of reproduction addressing issues such as conception, contraception, abortion, pregnancy, birth, infertility, pre and postnatal care, pre-natal screen and testing, IVF, prenatal genetic diagnosis, mitochondrial donation, surrogacy, adoption, reproductive donation, family-making and more. Books in this series will focus on the social, cultural, material, legal, historical and political aspects of human reproduction, encouraging work from early career researchers as well as established scholars. The series includes monographs, edited collections and shortform books (between 20 and 50,000 words). Contributors use the latest conceptual, methodological and theoretical developments to enhance and develop current thinking about human reproduction and its significance for understanding wider social practices and processes.

Title Page

Anti-Abortion Activism in the UK: Ultra-sacrificial Motherhood, Religion and Reproductive Rights in the Public Sphere

By

Pam Lowe

Aston University, UK

And

Sarah-Jane Page

Aston University, UK

United Kingdom – North America – Japan – India – Malaysia – China

Copyright Page

Emerald Publishing Limited

Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley BD16 1WA, UK

First edition 2022

Copyright © 2022 Pam Lowe and Sarah-Jane Page. Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited.

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No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without either the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying issued in the UK by The Copyright Licensing Agency and in the USA by The Copyright Clearance Center. Any opinions expressed in the chapters are those of the authors. Whilst Emerald makes every effort to ensure the quality and accuracy of its content, Emerald makes no representation implied or otherwise, as to the chapters' suitability and application and disclaims any warranties, express or implied, to their use.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-83909-399-9 (Print)

ISBN: 978-1-83909-398-2 (Online)

ISBN: 978-1-83909-400-2 (Epub)

List of Figures

Abbreviations

40DFL

40 Days for Life

ALRA

Abortion Law Reform Association

ARCH

Abortion Recovery Care and Helpline

BMA

British Medical Association

BPAS

British Pregnancy Advisory Service

CBR

Centre for Bioethical Reform UK

CEDAW

Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women

CofE

Church of England

CPC

Crisis Pregnancy Centre

DUP

Democratic Unionist Party

GCN

Good Counsel Network

HOGPI

Helpers of God's Precious Infants

MFL

March for Life

NHS

National Health Service

NI

Northern Ireland

NILT

Northern Ireland Life and Times

OAPA

1861 Offences against the Person Act

PAS

Post-abortion Syndrome

PASE

Post Abortion Support for Everyone

PSPO

Public Spaces Protection Order

SPUC

Society for the Protection of Unborn Children

UK

United Kingdom

US

United States

UPAA

Ulster Pregnancy Advisory Association

About the Authors

Pam Lowe is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology and Policy at Aston University. She has researched and written extensively in the area of women's reproductive and sexual health, with a particular interest in pregnancy, abortion and early parenting. This includes her work published in her monograph Reproductive health and maternal sacrifice: women, choice and responsibility (Palgrave). Recently she has worked on a number of projects including the sexual health of online sex workers and understandings of risk surrounding mental health in the perinatal period. This book emerges from a longitudinal ethnographic study of abortion debates in public spaces.

Sarah-Jane Page is a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Aston University. Her research focuses on religion and its interaction with sexuality and gender issues. She has specifically worked on projects examining religion, youth and sexuality and women priests in the Church of England. She has published three monographs, Religious and sexual identities (Ashgate; with A.K.T Yip); Understanding young Buddhists (Brill; with A.K.T. Yip) and Religion and sexualities (Routledge; with H. Shipley). She has worked closely with Pam Lowe over a number of years, undertaking the research for this book.