Some practical hints of how you can support the campaign to Repeal the 8th in advance of the upcoming referendum
1. Represent!
Regularly wear your Repeal jumper, Free Safe Legal tshirt or Repeal the 8th badge. I try wear mine out and about most weekends. This is me this morning in the hairdresser on Grafton Street. Last week I wore it to college to my Saturday class. The college was having an open day so I felt good walking through the hallway and cafeteria that my message was getting good exposure.
2. Support your fellow repealers
It's can be difficult and lonely putting yourself out there. Whenever I see someone out on the street in a Repeal jumper I say hi and "Nice Sweater!" . Yes that's a bit of an alien thing to do in Ireland but so far everyone has responded with a big smile and thank you
3. Have those conversations
Ok so this is the important one, and I KNOW it's the difficult one too. It's a sensitive issue. But you need to talk about it, gently and sensitively, with your family and friends. If you are a woman and want your fundamental human rights to be passed in the referendum you need your people to know how important it is to you and all women as they walk through the doors of the polling station.
There are some very good resources/videos out there of how to have these conversations, I will find the links and post here.
4. Follow and support pro-choice campaigners on social Media. Like their posts, share their posts. Here are few suggestions for you
5. Update your fb profile pic/twitter pic/instagram etc to something Repeal related (there's an important reason for this - see point 6!)
How great does my Repeal message via my profile pic look via the hashstag #salsurvey18 - which was the twitter handle at a breakfast briefing I attended last week
7. Question
Could you not find a woman to answer that question?
My friend Tony sent me this last night and I think it's an excellent suggestion and something I am going to start doing
8.Healthcare not Airfare
Whenever you are in Dublin airport (or travelling anywhere) post on social media using the hashtag #healthcarenotairfare
Feel free to take my photo of my healthcare luggage tag (available from London Irish ARC) from Instagram and use it on your post. See my instagram here
9. Support your local campaign groups
In addition to the national groups in point 4 there are also local groups all over Ireland. The very best thing you can do is get involved and meet with your local group and see how you can support locally
10. Canvass
We will need people pounding the pavements and knocking on people's doors. Just like the marriage equality referendum it's the conversations on the doorsteps that will be crucial to this battle. Again I know this is not an easy thing to do, but link up with your local group - they will support you and talk you through it all. Good luck!
Any other suggestions?! If I've missed anything please post in the comments and I will add them to this post.
sell the jumpers again. Might be a good start.
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