The threat to change the law on abortion brought protesters to protest opposite parliament last month. There were quite a few men present, but it was mainly women, and of all ages and types. Naturally as a photographer I was particularly drawn to those of more dramatic appearance, and in particular one woman who held the main banner reading ‘My Body My Choice‘ but it was largely her bright blue spiky hair that drew my attention, although her tattoos and t-shirt helped.
So you will see rather too many pictures of her in my work from the day in Pro-Choice Rally at Parliament posted at last on My London Diary. Of course there were plenty of other people to photograph, and I did so, but it is rather hard to miss someone like this.
For this particular picture I had to get up on tip-toe to photograph over the banner she was holding, very carefully framing to show the face and fist on her t-shirt and also I wanted to get the text ‘Women must decide their fate‘ at the top right of the picture.
There were also plenty of placards of all sizes, and the mini-placard appears to have caught on, as this picture shows:
Something about the message on this one made me laugh, and I think my comment about it made the woman holding it laugh as well. I can’t remember exactly what I said, but I think I was glad she had a sense of humour. Another of these minute placards had what was almost certainly the longest caption of any at the protest:
Just in case you’re finding it a little difficult to read, here it is in full:
What Do We Want?
Properly Resourced, Funded and High Quality Sex and Relationships Ed and Sexual and Reproductive Health Services For All People.
When Do We Want It? Now!
Unfortunately I couldn’t find a way to really make a good picture of it.
Perhaps the placard that amused me most was this:
It also has in the background what I felt was perhaps the most important issue in the whole controversy, a call for evidence-based health policies, a point mentioned by several of the speakers, including the only man brave enough to speak, at least while I was there. This was a doctor, the former MP and Liberal Democrat science spokesman Evan Harris. Facing him as he spoke was a woman in a green hat holding up a placard ‘Politicians Make crappy Doctors!’ You can see her in my picture but I couldn’t find a way to really make her stand out as I wanted. Although it had been a fine sunny afternoon, by then a heavy shower had begun and many people had their umbrellas up, and after taking this picture I decided it was time to leave.
