Pro-life students at Cardiff University have been left feeling pushed out after the Students’ Union formally adopted a pro-abortion position.
The Students’ Union voted in favour of the policy at its annual meeting last week.
University Chaplain, Revd Fr Jones, said those opposed to abortion would find it more difficult to express ‘unacceptable opinions’ on campus.
Racist
The Students’ Union passed the motion entitled: “Adopt an official pro-choice stance”.
It said that societies must not “participate in activities against SU policy”.
During the debate the pro-life position was dismissed as “equivalent to racism”.
Silence opinion
In an open letter the University Chaplain argued that many pro-life students would now feel uneasy participating in student groups for fear of being marginalised.
Revd Fr Jones expressed concerns for religious liberty and freedom of conscience, adding that the policy of the Students’ Union sought to silence “all shades of opinion but its own”.
Last year, a similar attempt to restrict pro-life views was defeated at Strathclyde University.
Academic freedom
In November 2018, the Students’ Union of Strathclyde University voted to remove a clause preventing pro-life groups from being affiliated with it.
The Union accepted that its ban on pro-life groups was discriminatory following a challenge from the pro-life Strathclyde Students for Life group.
The decision was acknowledged as “a victory for academic freedom”.
Deplatforming
Earlier this year, it was revealed that a pro-life society is taking legal action against one of Scotland’s leading universities for refusing it students’ union affiliation.
Aberdeen University Students’ Association (AUSA) said it would not offer “funding, facilitation or platform” to the Aberdeen Life Ethics Society.
The affected students say the university’s policy of “deplatforming pro-life student societies” violates equality and human rights laws.