Australia Abortion Law: A Visual Story

The topic I've chosen to look closer at visual storytelling with is the legalization of abortion in the state of New South Whales (NSW), Australia. I chose this because I have quite a few friends from NSW that have been following the issue closely and I have been interested in what way the vote would go. It has created a lot of tension there and there have been many protests, marches, and petitions from both sides to either decriminalize abortion or keep the restrictions. While I was visiting Sydney this past March I learned first-hand about the Exclusion Zones, where discussion or visual support of anti-abortion views within so many yards of an abortion clinic could land you a $20,000 AU fine or jail time. So because of this background I became engaged in following the story, and here are some photos I found that told the story of how the law came about.

(Scene setter) This image depicts Sydney, New South Whale's state capital, and sets the tone for this story on NSW's abortion laws.

(Wiki)

Taking place in the heart of New South Whale's capital, Sydney, Australia, a very important change in how the state will view abortion has been going down in the past six months. I came across an article that was published three days ago entitled, "Abortion is now legal across Australia - here's another new pro-choice law no one's talking about." (MSN) And I have followed how far it has come from just "discussing" to the actual law itself coming to fruition a few days ago. The visual storytelling is very interesting with this particular case, because we can see both sides of the issue and their passion for what they believe in through photos.

(Medium shot) This is the NSW Parliament in Sydney, Australia, where the new abortion law was decided.

(Lubavitch)

(The portrait) Anti-abortion women protesting the proposed pro-abortion law. (Rebecca Gosper)

(Capturing detail) This flag and crest are symbols of history for Australia, and are particularly ominous as new laws on abortion are decided in Parliament.

(Capturing action) Pro-abortion women supporting the new abortion law.

The story of voting to make abortion legal all across New South Whales has been something that the anti-abortion side has been fighting off for many years. Life Choice Australia is the student pro-life organization in the Sydney area, and its students often rally and protest on behalf of the liberal party there. The photos shown above of both the pro-life and pro-choice sides voicing their opinions tells a powerful story of presence. These photographs tell the story that there is more than one side involved. Not everyone is happy that the law has passed. But many people are. And these images can take us thousands of miles away to the streets of Sydney, out front of the Parliament, and help us to understand the tensions occurring in Australia right now because of this new law.