Do you think Birth Mothers is an insensitive comment?

[donnashuggy]

Apparently Tony Abbott has withdrawn the comment and apologised.

[lady*em]

I'm still not exactly sure why the term is offensive.  I still maintain that anyone who has given birth to a child is a birth mother.  Is it because they wanted to be called just 'mothers'? So as not to make any reference to the whole adoption thing, which is why they were all there in the first place?  Circles and roundabouts.

I think you can be a bit rabid about technicalities, which tends to detract from the whole point of today.  I really want to see an explanation from those who heckled Tony Abbott, exactly what it is that offended them so much about the term 'birth mother'. 

[sandiekid]

Was it meant to be insulting or said with malice, no it wasn't the fact is they are the birth mother and their children went to adoptive mothers, 

It was a very painful time for the mothers giving up their children at birth,  no one can deny

And we need to understand the era and society attitudes in those days and as a child of divorced parents i remeber that held a great shame for the family

There was no child support no single parents support my mother worked as a cleaner sandwich hand in a pub did other peoples ironing took in boarders  to feed and clothe my sister and myself.

Yes it was a different time and a different era, and I am glad we have changed our attitudes and behaviour towards women who find themselves pregnant and help them keep their babies.

We give support to  mothers with children who are on their own, I'm sure my mother would have lived into a long life if she didn't have to work so hard to support herself and her children.

Life is not always easy for lots of people.

[izabsmiling]

they wanted to be parents lady em .That is what the apology was about.There was no need to refer to them as birth parents .

Donna, it is not a question that anyone other than those who were there really should answer .

If someone stole (kidnapped) my child ....I would be my child's Mother always

[izabsmiling]

Jane, unless we are ourselves relinquishing mothers then what you or I think about Mr Abbott's choice of words is pretty much irrelevant.  Clearly the hecklers - who had been deprived of their babies - found Mr Abbott's remarks hurtful and insensitive.

Having said that, I can accept that he didn't intend his words to be demeaning and offensive and he has done the right thing by apologising. What I can't understand was why he felt the need to drag his ex girlfriend  into the equation and remind everyone that the child conceived during his relationship with her turned out not to be his. . 

in saying that he appears to not understand that in these cases it was not voluntary 

[sandiekid]

Did Mr Abbott know that they were going to be offended, Did he say it to offend them.

No they took offence, cant be a mind reader on what will offend some people.

it was unintentional 

so in the simple of terms they are the birth mother their outburst seem rather rude considering thefact that he was joining and confirmed the apology.

[izabsmiling]

You think they were rude to be upset ?

I'm glad that he apologised for upsetting them .It was after all for them ....not him or anyone else not personally affected .

[nevynreally]

And now Abbott's in trouble because he apologized for inadvertently causing offensive?

What some are forgetting is that what happened was the social norm at the time, just as the Stolen Generation were. Doesn't make it right, to me it indicates that society in general just didn't know any better. Was it wrong? Maybe it was for a certain percentage, and the right thing for some. But getting upset over being referred to as a birth parent is not only ridiculous, it's also insulting to those who adopted and loved these children.

[lakeland27]

the audience were probably in the best position to judge. they did and they didnt like what he said.

[nevynreally]

The wheels fall off your argument when you consider some who read these boards are offended by emoticon.

[lakeland27]

The wheels fall off your argument when you consider some who read these boards are offended by emoticon.

no, the bps are a irrelevant factor.  no buttons in the great hall... just gillard and abbott speaking, they  liked her ..and didn't like him. she got it right, he failed it seems.