A chara, - Ivana Bacik, despite her eminent legal and academic qualifications, appears to miss the point completely (November 27th), interpreting a ban on abortion as somehow impinging on gender equality and diminishing a woman's right to life.
Abortion is very rarely gender-selective; male and female babies are "terminated" in equal numbers, and therefore a ban on abortion would be gender-neutral and would affirm both a man's and a woman's right to life.
It would be far more useful, honest and realistic if the "debate on abortion" revolved around the fundamental issue, viz. the definition of "life" (particularly considering its impending re-definition), rather than advancing the deceptive falsehood that it is about any sort of liberal or feminist agenda. But then that would make things far too difficult for the "pro-choice" lobby, now, wouldn't it? - Is mise,
David Carroll, Castle Gate, Dublin 2.