Mary Robinson: Catholicism and tradition subjugate women to 'second class' status

Mary Robinson speaks out against the religious framing of harmful traditional practices that subjugate women. She argues that Catholicism and tradition subjugate women to 'second class' status.

• Category

  Nonprofits & Activism

[Bumblybee256]

you go mary!

[Bumblybee256]

without the right to abortion women are not equal citizens- there are no laws determining how and when mens bodies can be used without their continuing consent, and I won't have it either.

[NAOIFE]

One of the greatest people to ever live

[KIRSTY SANDERSON]

i love MARY. xxxxxxxxxxx

[KIRSTY SANDERSON]

my favourite president and a champion of human rights.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[marinameatsix]

I am so proud this woman was our president.

[KIRSTY SANDERSON]

i love her

[moroney1]

she tlks Catholicism 4 a sec then alks in general bout differnt cultures globaly such as feamle circumcision which happens in isalm orientated states. She is amazing!freed Ireland frm fundamentalist catholics,helped decriminalised contraception,being gay&divorce.created free legal aid in Ireland.was key 2peace process of Northern Irelandstopping so much terrorism.responsible for equal pay rights in Ireland and allowing women2become judges.was the first head of state to give a damn bout somalia!

[Berdie]

Mary Robinson gets everything wrong. It's painful to watch. If she cared about women's rights, she'd be talking about the threat to it from Islam, not Catholocism.  If she cared about racism, she'd be on the attack on Muslim countries, not Israel. She cloaks her biases in the guise of liberal ideals and it is so frustrating to watch.

[Joebycool]

If you didn't hear, the whole discussion is about the nature of traditional African and Islamic societies which subjugate women by encouraging female circumcision.

Ivana Bacik is pro-liberalisation of abortion for the very reason you originally described: that if one in eleven Irish women are having abortions (which is a statistical reality), then they should be able to do so in Ireland, instead of limiting access to middle class women who can travel and do it privately abroad.