What was described as a tide of humanity gathered in the streets of Madrid on October 17, where some 42 Spanish citizens groups denounced proposed legislation making its way in the Spanish congress that would significantly liberalize abortion law. Introduced by Spain’s socialist government, the bill proposes that abortion be permited for any reasons during the first 14 weeks of gestation. There was a festival-like atmosphere to the march as thousands filled the streets from the Plaza del Sol to Independence Square, with plenty of children, families, nuns and priests present.
Critics of the law, which has the support of President Rodriguez Zapatero, believe that the law does nothing to prevent abortions and will increase the number of abortions performed in the country. Journalist Cristina López Schlichting told the crowds that the law would “fail to protect the two victims involved in abortion: the unborn child, who lacks any sort of legal protection, and the mother who is forced to have an abortion without alternatives.”
Actor Eduardo Verástegui, who starred in the movie “Bella” which he produced in 2008, offered a masculine perspective on abortion saying to the thousands of people present, “Men in society have taken as their own the radical feminist message that men have nothing to do with the decision to go ahead with the life that they have had a part in conceiving. This paternal responsibility has been drowned and many men, the young especially, have come to believe that they have nothing to say and that their ’50 percent’ is of no value in defending human life. Let us put an end to the padlock that gender ideology has placed over the mouths of men!”
Marchers also heard a feminine perspective on abortion. A 17 year-old spoke of how fearful she was of how she believed her parents would react to the news of her pregnancy. After she had schedule d an abortion, she spoke to a friend who led her to an organization that offered alternatives such as adoption. She was reconciled with her parents and plans to bring her pregnancy to full term. Speakers at the rally demanded that alternatives to abortion be promoted by the government to reflect a preference for life.
The march served to make evident the divisions between the grassroots anti-abortion movement and Spain’s political opposition. The current leader of the Popular Party, Mariano Rajoy, was not present at the rally. However, Jose María Aznar of the PP, a former president, was present. Benigno Blanco, a nationally known leader in the pro-life movement, condemned what he termed the Popular Party’s “hypocrisy”.
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