It's not surprising that a maelstrom of controversy followed the announcement Tuesday that Henry Morgentaler will be receiving the Order of Canada this year.
A tireless and unapologetic advocate for the right of any woman to access safe, legal abortion services should she choose to do so, the 85-year-old doctor has long been a controversial public figure -- ever since the late 1960s, in fact, when he first began flouting existing federal law and performing abortions despite the then-illegality of his actions.
In the years that followed, Morgentaler remained committed to providing abortions to Canadian women who wanted them, even when his efforts were met with protests, police raids, arrests, death threats and jail time (10 long months of it in one particular instance).
He was a rare breed: an ideologue who also walked the walk. He stood his ground, showed no fear and eventually forced the issue all the way to the Supreme Court, which, on Jan. 28, 1988, decided he was right, declared the country's abortion law unconstitutional, and struck it down.
Morgentaler fought the system and won. Considering what he was up against, it's a remarkable achievement.
Of course, there are those who would disagree with me, and this week, they've come out swinging, voicing their opinions in every public forum they can find and as loudly as they can (no doubt in hopes of drowning out the accolades and praise). In the last several days, Morgentaler has been called everything from a monster to a butcher, and the word "abortionist" has been spat out like it's an epithet -- not unlike the way the word "feminist" gets hissed at women who dare speak out about the continued existence of patriarchy, sexism and misogyny in our supposedly evolved Canadian society.
As the man who will forever be the public face of the abortion-rights movement, criticism is to be expected. Abortion, after all, is an issue that was (and, in many ways, continues to be) shrouded in secrecy and shame -- two things Morgentaler refused to have anything to do with, which no doubt has frustrated his opponents to no end over the years.
But is it really so shocking that Morgentaler's life's work -- divisive though it may be -- has earned him an appointment to the Order of Canada?
According to the governor general's website, our country's highest civilian honour is awarded to individuals in recognition of "a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation."
Simply put, Morgentaler meets these criteria. The man has devoted his life to helping women achieve the legal right to assert autonomy over their own bodies -- and he's done so at significant risk to his own safety and freedom, demonstrating courage and resolve in the face of adversity and occasionally, outright hatred.
On a more macro level, his contribution to Canada remains equally as impressive. Today, more than 100,000 abortions are safely performed in Canada each year, and it's only a slight exaggeration to say that those who choose this option have Morgentaler to thank for it.
"The Order recognizes people in all sectors of Canadian society," the governor general's website continues. "Their contributions are varied, yet they have all enriched the lives of others and made a difference to this country."
Love him or hate him, it's impossible to deny that Dr. Henry Morgentaler has had a profound impact on Canada's socio-political landscape and on the lives of thousands of women.
He has earned the respect and admiration of many, many Canadian citizens -- and it's completely appropriate that he be publicly recognized for it.
Marlo Campbell writes for Uptown Magazine.
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