It’s been over six weeks since we released the Minimise Podcast. The episodes have been enjoyable to record, and we’ve greatly appreciated all the feedback we’ve gotten on them. We hope to do a second season! All of our first season episodes are compiled here in one handy place.
Here are some links to the individual podcast episodes, along with short descriptions of what they’re about. Listen on our website (https://theminimiseproject.ie/the-minimise-podcast/), Anchor (https://anchor.fm/the-minimise-project) or anywhere podcasts are available.
Episode 1) Pro-life to pro-choice to pro-life: how Ciara O’Rourke of the Minimise Project changed her mind
In this episode, we interview one of our own members about how her thinking on abortion has changed over the years. She was instinctively pro-life as a teenager but changed her mind and became pro-choice when she went to college. We talk about the things that persuaded her that the pro-choice position was the right one. Then we talk about why she changed her mind again and became pro-life.
Links:
http://doc.jfaweb.org/Training/DeFactoGuardian-v03.pdf
Episode 2) Do liberals and conservatives think differently about abortion?
Why do different people think so differently about what is right and what is wrong? Muireann and Ben discuss Jonathan Haidt’s moral foundations theory and how to understand where others are coming from on the issue of abortion.
Links:
Jonathan Haidt’s book https://righteousmind.com/ and website about Moral Foundations Theory https://moralfoundations.org/
(7:45) Foetal pain https://theminimiseproject.ie/2020/01/24/on-foetal-pain/
(28:00) Equal Rights Argument https://blog.equalrightsinstitute.com/undervalued-argument-prolife-movement/
(30:50) http://www.miscarriage.ie/ https://feileacain.ie/ https://anamcara.ie/
Episode 3) Better conversations: an interview with Josh Brahm of the Equal Rights Institute
Josh Brahm of the Equal Rights Institute joins us for a discussion on constructive dialogue within the pro-life movement and the differences and similarities in the pro-life movements in Ireland and the USA. He also talks about the importance of effective pro-life activism, and about different ways of advocating for the pro-life position that increase the chances of having better conversations and of changing minds. This podcast was recorded in January 2020.
Links:
https://equalrightsinstitute.com/
Episode 4) What does a pro-life culture mean anyway?
What does a pro-life culture mean, exactly? What does it look like? And can we build one that doesn’t require women to take on unchosen burdens? Is the pro-life movement being completely honest when we address this question? Ben and Muireann discuss these questions and talk about unchosen burdens more generally.
Links:
https://theminimiseproject.ie/resources/practical-assistance/
https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/01/march-life-abortion-unchosen-obligations/
https://theminimiseproject.ie/2020/07/12/abortion-regret-the-pro-life-lobby-and-trusting-women/
Episode 5) Why are pro-life films so bad?
What makes good pro-life art? Can a film that has nothing to do with abortion spread a pro-life message? And how do you talk to pro-choice friends about pro-life messages in films? Ben and Muireann chat to Rachel Sherlock about pro-life themes in art and film, and about balancing activism and good storytelling for storytelling’s sake. They also discuss works of art that have ‘pro-life themes’ even though they are made by pro-choice artists.
Links:
https://www.rachelsherlock.com/
Films discussed:
Unplanned (2019), directed by Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman
Juno (2007), directed by Jason Reitman
Kill the Moon, Dr Who season 8, episode 7, directed by Paul Wilmshurst
Episode 6) Season finale: your questions answered
Ben and Muireann take a look through our comments box and answer some of the questions we’ve been asked over the course of the series, responding to:
- ‘I wouldn’t have an abortion myself, but I support other people’s choice to have one’
- Are pro-lifers hypocrites if they don’t want to punish abortion?
- Should states be netural on the issue of abortion?
- Is consent to sex consent to pregnancy?
- Where is the Minimise Project heading?
Links:
https://blog.equalrightsinstitute.com/undervalued-argument-prolife-movement/
Episodes 1) and 4) of this podcast.
The Minimise Project 