Twitter gets a lot of criticism for promoting “armchair activism”, but that certainly wasn’t true on the 20th August 2016, when two women used Twitter to send an important message about women’s rights in Ireland.
The Twitter account, aptly named @TwoWomenTravel, was used to document the journey of two women from Ireland seeking an abortion in the UK. Ireland has strict abortion laws – with both the woman and the foetus having equal rights under the controversial eighth amendment.
Although the identities of the two women remain anonymous, their story is one that has been repeated many times. Leaving the country at 6:30am, they traveled by plane to the UK and documented everything from their train ride, waiting room experiences, and the aftereffects of the procedure. Their plight has been so popular that the Twitter account gained over 25,000 followers.
Throughout their journey, the women thanked the country’s prime minister, Enda Kenny, for adding so much extra stress to a procedure that is considered normal in many other countries.
Of course, Ireland is not the only country with such strict regulations on abortion, with many places banning the procedure and other forms of contraception entirely. If you are thinking about moving abroad, make sure you’re fully informed about the country’s stance on contraception.