New pro-life student clubs are popping up at colleges and high schools across the world, but some are struggling even to be recognized.
The Strathclyde University students’ association in Scotland recently banned a group of students from forming an official pro-life club on its campus, claiming the group would “harass” and “intimidat[e]” people, the Herald Scotland reports.
The pro-life students said the move suppresses their freedom of speech.
“It is deplorable that a modern university is incapable of facilitating debate on a societal or medical issue such as abortion,” student Jamie McGowan said. “Ironically, they will happily take positions on politics, but refuse to allow political debate and we feel this policy is a violation of freedom of speech.”
Here’s more from the report:
The students are also angry because have previously tried to access funding for events, but were told they had to affiliate with the student association first. The association then passed the blanket motion banning “anti-choice” groups.
The row comes at a time when there are growing concerns that universities have become too politically correct and are stifling free speech by banning anything that causes offence.
Oxford University cancelled a debate on abortion after female students complained that they would be offended by the presence of men on the panel.
The Strathclyde students’ association defended its decision by claiming that abortion access is fundamental to women, according to the report.
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“Anti-choice groups actively use intimidation and fear tactics to harass people entering abortion clinics,” the students’ association said in its meeting minutes. “… Allowing an anti-choice group to form would be a barrier to freedom, equality and body autonomy for those with uteruses on campus and therefore not only violate existing standing policy, but also act against the interests of a large amount of the student population.”
The Alliance of Pro-life Students recently reported students are facing increasing hostility and censorship at universities in the UK.
In November, the British pro-life group said it is working with students at three universities where pro-life efforts are under attack. The pro-life students are up against pro-abortion feminists who have been petitioning to either prevent pro-life clubs from forming or disband the ones that already exist.
Pro-life students in America have faced other hostility. In October, pro-abortion feminists vandalized a student pro-life display at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, LifeNews reported. The university’s student Democrats club later praised the feminists’ actions.
In April, pro-abortion students vandalized a similar display at Southern Methodist University in Texas. Almost 3,000 crosses memorializing unborn victims of abortion were kicked down.
