We are now a pro-choice campus!
Following Guild Summit reaching consensus on the motion and approval from the Guild Board of Trustees, the Guild will be adopting a pro-choice policy, which will be active from April 2025.
We are now a pro-choice campus!
Following Guild Summit reaching consensus on the motion and approval from the Guild Board of Trustees, the Guild will be adopting a pro-choice policy, which will be active from April 2025.
In this statement, we will give more detail on how the policy came into action, what this means on campus and our commitment to support students’ right to choose.
The Background:
The idea was submitted to the Guild Change It platform, which put forward a motion for the Guild to adopt a pro-choice policy. The submission called for the Guild to re-adopt a pro-choice campus stance, following the previous policy expiring in 2022. With a rise in anti-choice groups globally and across the sector, the idea stated that it’s “important that a pro-choice campus comes back into practice”.
The motion was discussed at Guild Summit, our democratic decision-making body on the 18th of February. Guild Summit reached consensus to pass the policy and for the Guild to adopt a pro-choice stance.
The outcome of Guild Summit was then taken to the Guild’s Board of Trustees on the 27th March, where the policy was approved.
The Pro-Choice Policy in Action:
A pro-choice policy gives the Guild a mandate to uphold students’ fundamental right to choose and cements our commitment to ensuring that any student who needs support can access non-judgemental, confidential advice that empowers them to make the right decision for themselves.
In adopting the policy, we are committed to:
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Fully adopt a pro-choice position, supporting the legal, political and moral right of students to choose, including the release of an urgent public statement.
What does this mean for the Pro-Life Society?
Following the registration of the Pro-Life Society at the start of the academic year, we received a number of responses calling for the society to be shut down.
In our statement published on the 20th September, we detailed that the Guild is unable to turn down a proposal for a society, or shut a society down, simply on the basis of that group’s ideas or views, unless those opinions break the law. We are legally required to facilitate students who want to run societies that have opposing views to policies approved by the student body.
As part of the University and Guild’s Joint Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech which is in line with relevant legislation, the Guild is required to ensure that individuals and groups are free to hold meetings or other activities “regardless of the beliefs, views, policies or objectives of that individual or body.”
You can view the full statement here.
Following the registration of the Pro-Life Society, students have formed a Pro-Choice Society, who are now registered at the Guild, engaged in our democratic processes in order to bring this policy to life, and continue to campaign against anti-choice demonstrations on campus.
Quote from Holly Thompson, Guild Vice President:
“I'm really glad that Guild Summit reached consensus and acted in favour of bodily autonomy, through the Guild's democratic systems. Declaring a stance on the right to choose is especially important right now, due to the rise in anti-choice groups across the globe.
I hope that this policy will help students by ensuring that women and pregnant individuals know that they have the full support of the Student Union, regardless of the choice they make, and that we are joining the many other pro-choice campuses across the country. I want to thank everyone who was involved and supported this idea through the Guild’s Change It system. “
As your Students’ Union, we are committed to prioritising student safety and advocating for the rights of women and marginalised gender communities. A pro-choice campus means that we will prioritise and protect every student’s fundamental right to choose, empowering them to make the right decision for them.
If you would like to reach out for support, there are a number of services available:
If you have any questions please email guildweb@liverpool.ac.uk