Western Lifeline is a group that advocates against abortion. Many students do not believe that they should be allowed to have a presence at all on campus. Western University Student Council warned student on social media about the presence saying, “To any student who may be impacted by this content, please avoid the atrium if you wish. Western exchange student, Charlotte Perry, does not believe that is is enough.
LifeLine Booth in Western’s University Community Centre
“I think it’s absolutely wrong that they’re allowed to stand here and put these images up and talk about how they’re all for human rights when they’re not at all. I think it directly opposes any belief in feminism and real human rights.”
Even though Perry hasn’t had an abortion herself, she is concerned with how women who have would feel.
“I think it’s direct denial of human rights for their students, people who have been through it should not have to walk into their university campus and be reminded of that trauma.”
Western Lifeline’s president, Rashad Rehman, says that the group has a right to be on campus.
“One of the most wonderful things about Western University is that it has accommodated us as a USC sanctioned club, which means that we are fully in our rights to have the pro-life presence here on campus.”
Raymond insists that the debate should happen on campuses.
“Our club is very grateful that freedom of expression is maintained. At a University, the idea is that we are to be informed as students and to discuss often controversial issues. One of those ways to do that is not by censoring information, but fostering dialogue and that’s protected by freedom of speech.”
