Speaking of I.M.E.L.D.A. are a feminist-activist performance group based in London. The focus of their activism is abortion rights in Ireland, and their work built on action by the Irish Women's Abortion Support Group (IWASG) who supported women travelling to England for abortions from 1980 to 2000. [1] The acronym I.M.E.L.D.A. stands for Ireland Making England the Legal Destination for Abortion. [2] The group was formed in 2014 by Treasa O'Brien and Helena Walsh. [3] Their work is a form of art intervention, and direct action. They made a series of interventions with collaborators as part of the campaign to Repeal the 8th Amendment to the Constitution of Ireland, which in 1983 legislated that the unborn foetus has equal rights to life as the mother. [4] The amendment to legalise abortion was put to a referendum on 25 May 2018 [5] and approved by 66.4% of voters. [6] The groups performance interventions and use of social media have gathered widespread media attention. [7] [8] [9] [10]
Founded by Treasa O'Brien and Helena Walsh in 2014, members of the group, and in direct actions include: Ann Rossiter, Sarah Cantwell, Sorcha Fhionntain, Tina McCloskey, Cristina Rios, [11] Lynne McCarthy, Marian Larragy, Tina Ní Bhloscaidh, Anna Carnegie. Between 2014-2016 Artist Sophie Connon worked with the group to choreograph and develop the concept for No Longer the Quiet Woman and The Knickers for Choice Campaign. [12]