Irish Women Traveling HomeToVote Abortion Referendum

photographed by Beth Sacca.

With less than a day to go until Ireland's historic referendum on whether or not to repeal the country's Eighth Amendment — which gives a woman and a fetus equal right to life, effectively outlawing abortion — emotions are running high on both sides of the argument.

The stakes are high and in recent days Irish people have been traveling home from all over the world to cast their votes, taking to social media to document their journeys and reasoning via the #HomeToVote hashtag.

People planning on voting to repeal the amendment have been particularly vocal in sharing their accounts, with many traveling halfway across the world to make their voices heard. They're coming home to Ireland from as far as the United States, Argentina, Australia, Japan, Thailand, Costa Rica, and Vietnam.

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I'm coming #HomeToVote ! Will be traveling 5,169 miles from LA to Dublin and will be thinking of every Irish woman who has had to travel to access healthcare that should be available in their own country. Let's do this, Ireland! #repealthe8th #VoteYes pic.twitter.com/fZDxUIGrs9
— Lauryn Canny (@LaurynCanny) May 23, 2018

Boarding a 13 hour flight from Buenos Aires to London. London to Dublin tomorrow. No one at airport knows what my repeal jumper means. No one here knows why I'm travelling. If this feels isolating for me, can't imagine how lonely it must be 4 her, travelling 2 the UK #HomeToVote
— Ciaran Gaffney (@gaffneyciaran) May 22, 2018

Was actually so humbled and relieved to meet four other Irish people on the flight from Buenos Aires to London, all of them flying onwards to Dublin today or tomorrow to #voteyes. #hometovote #together4yes
— Ciaran Gaffney (@gaffneyciaran) May 23, 2018

It's never too late to cancel your holiday and come #hometovote pic.twitter.com/w3aVurTKSB
— VultureDoyle (@Repzy) May 24, 2018

#hometovote from Queensland to Dublin. Arrived in today and worth it. Drinking Lyons tea at 5am with jetlag. #repealthe8th #togetherforyes #hometovote #trustwomen #8thref pic.twitter.com/oWEzpfIkWk
— Siobhan Gilroy (@shiv_gilroy) May 23, 2018

1) Newcastle to Sydney Airport on 2 trains -3 hours
2)Plane to Abu Dhabi -16 hours
3) Plane to Ireland -8.5 hours
Repealing the 8th Amendment? Priceless.
(Step 1 almost complete) #Together4YES #menforyes #HomeToVote #hometoveote #repealThe8th pic.twitter.com/tsG4Bh57n2
— Steve Wilson (@Dublinactor) May 23, 2018

Just landed in from Newcastle NSW via Sydney and Abu Dhabi. I’ll see yez at the polls. (And nobody tell my non twitter using family, it’s going to be a big surprise!) #HometoVote #RepealTheEighth #menforyes pic.twitter.com/otj6pNxZyK
— Steve Wilson (@Dublinactor) May 24, 2018

Just started the first leg of my journey #hometovote. Taking a night bus to Tokyo, where I will fly out tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully, I can find something fun to do while eagerly awaiting my chance to help #RepealTheEighth on Friday. pic.twitter.com/DpDeZziKzv
— Matthew Corbally (@Corballicious) May 22, 2018

So so sad to be leaving Costa Rica today for the long journey home. It’s been an incredible 3 months. I’m glad I planned it though so I could go #HomeToVote #Repeal pic.twitter.com/GDT6s8CwSU
— Nicola O'Leary (@nicola_oleary) May 20, 2018

I’m coming #hometovote! Thirty hours from Bangkok to Dublin on a mission to repeal that eighth and get my bodily autonomy ?#voteyes #together4yes #repeal #RepealThe8th pic.twitter.com/CKgLO0NDxk
— Louise Barry (@made0fglitter) May 23, 2018

Cost of flights from Hanoi to Dublin: 800 euro. Length of journey: 20 hours. Chance to #repealthe8th: PRICELESS. #hometovote #Together4Yes pic.twitter.com/oROnKcBXcF
— the cute hoor (@HoorayForNiamh) May 22, 2018

Many others are making the journey to Ireland from continental Europe, from Sweden, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

All the way from Sweden to Kerry, a 12 hour journey to cross a big fat YES on the ballot paper #HometoVote #repealthe8th pic.twitter.com/psC2utM3K5
— Nora (@tea_and_biccies) May 23, 2018

Just starting my journey #hometovote from Sweden. All I can think of is the 10-12 women who are nervously awaiting their bus/train/flight to get to their appointment. For women in a crisis, today is a day like no other. Time for care and compassion in Ireland. Time for change.
— Ailbhe Coleman (@coleman_ailbhe) May 23, 2018

Let's do this, See ya soon Éire ?
#HometoVote #repealthe8th pic.twitter.com/w3h6nc1mKu
— Peel7Bananas (@Aaron_Coughlan) May 24, 2018

This is the station in Haaltert, East Flanders, Belgium. The starting point of my journey #hometovote. How did I end up here a year ago? How did I end up in the Clane of Belgium? After so many years of complaining about commuting to Dublin? Blame Tinder/Love/Tall Belgian Men. pic.twitter.com/6BFuHInMhL
— Erica 4 Yes (@ericajanelee) May 24, 2018

Some social media users shared tales of the financial sacrifice they and their loved ones were making to #VoteYes, but many said it paled in comparison to the cost many Irish women (until only recently) have had to pay – in some cases up to $2,600 – to access abortion services at private clinics in England.

My lovely son is coming #hometovote. This poor student used his birthday money to buy plane ticket home. Just messaged me "we will get you to the Emerald City on Friday" ❤️ He will #voteyes with his Dad. For his sister, his Mum & women of Ireland #togetherforyes @Men4Yes
— Colette Kelleher (@ColetteKelleher) May 22, 2018

The flight tomorrow nearly cost me an arm and a leg but to think that 9 women have to pay that amount and more on a daily basis makes every cent worth it, that’s why I’m coming #hometovote to Repeal and hope to God no-one has to be forced out of Ireland again.
— Billie O'Gorman (@Billie_ogorman) May 24, 2018

Sad reflection as i wait to board my flight #HomeToVote - the cost of my travel from #Toronto was less than my travel costs to the UK when I needed to access safe abortion services. #together4yes #Repealthe8th
— Emma Jayne Geraghty (@Emma_Geraghty) May 20, 2018

The mass migration back to Ireland to repeal the amendment mirrors the trip many made to vote in the country's 2015 referendum that legalized same-sex marriage.

Just collected eldest son from Dublin Airport. In 2015 Ireland gave him his right - the right to get married.
On Friday he’ll return the favour and vote to give women the right to make decisions about their own bodies. #Together4Yes #hometovote #soproud
— Noeleen McHugh (@MchughNoeleen) May 23, 2018

Packing my bag to go #HomeToVote. I'm supporting the amazing women of Ireland who stood with me for the marriage ref. Every woman deserves the right to control her own body. Let’s #repeal this shit.
— Peter (@pmowlds) May 24, 2018

3 years ago #hometovote started and I was in Canada, homesick & heartbroken to not be able to vote in the marriage ref. I'm home now though, registered, and ready to repeal the shite out of the 8th! Fair play to everyone making their way home ❤️ #RepealTheEighth #TogetherForYes
— Ciara Cox (@Ki_Ki92) May 23, 2018

Stupidly early for my flight so getting lost in the #hometovote threads. People traveling (sometimes literally) halfway across the world to support #TogetherForYes (and marriage equality before that) is just the most wonderful expression of how loving Ireland really is.
— Paul James Behan (@PaulJamesBeee) May 24, 2018

I am incredibly proud to live in Ireland during the historic changes it is undergoing. We are the first country ever to approve gay marriage via nationwide #referendum We will make history once again tomorrow. And no matter what you decide, make sure you #VOTE #hometovote pic.twitter.com/CbkMLbt4Kd
— Yulia Lunev (@yulia_lnv) May 24, 2018

During the Marriage Equality ref, the #HometoVote tweets for repeal filled me with so much happiness and love at the end of the referendum that was emotionally draining in the extreme. 3 years later, ye feckers have me all emotional again #TogetherForYes #sobsobsob
— Drew Murphy (@drewtmurphy) May 23, 2018

If Yes prevails in the vote, the results of which will be announced late Friday evening and into Saturday morning local time, Ireland's proposed abortion bill will allow women to seek the procedure up to 12 weeks into a pregnancy. In the event of a No vote, the country's strict abortion laws will remain in place.

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