A former SNP councillor was reduced to tears claiming the loss of her child from miscarriage was used to politically point score by a pro-life Glasgow MSP.
Rosa Zambonini has condemned a decision by John Mason to make a Scottish Parliamentary motion welcoming a Baby Loss Memorial Book recognising the loss of a child less than 24 weeks into pregnancy.
He said that in the case of abortion, terms including foetus are used instead of baby, insisting "it is a tragedy when any baby loses its life before birth".
READ MORE: White car 'ploughs into' parked motors at Glasgow Arnold Clark garage
But Ms Zambonini, says she was "devastated" that the issue was used to "push an agenda" by a fellow party member.
The ex-Wishaw councillor told Glasgow Live: "I had lost a baby in 2022 and then later in the year I fell pregnant with the baby I have now, so I'm very lucky.
"This morning I opened my laptop and the first thing I saw was the motion that was logged after 5pm yesterday. I felt devastated.
"Women who lose babies before 24 weeks don't have a birth certificate, don't have a funeral. It felt like the one thing these women was taken and used to push an agenda.
"I just thought that out of all the things John could've used this wasn't it. I'm empathetic to him more than most, I come from a religious background, I understand that people have different views from mine.
"They are entitled to have those views and if you're democratic you need to allow people to think their own way. But I think some things need to be left alone.
"That is my workplace so I have made a formal complaint. The email was titled unborn babies and there was no trigger warning for those who had lost a child, it felt like there was no consideration.
"One of four pregnancies end in loss, so it won't just be me that opened that email and saw the comment who had lost a child.
"To be fair to John is there even guidelines that he should have followed when making the motion, and if not why not?"
After reading the motion, all the feelings Rosa had when she was told that she had lost her unborn baby came flooding back.
The former councillor said: "I was crying because I immediately went back to that place.
"When I lost the baby I felt silly because I didn't know what gender it was and it was just nine weeks. You already are worried that society won't see your child as a baby.
"For him to trivialise it and weaponise it was just horrific. First I was crying then I was really angry. To be fair he did welcome the Baby Loss Book but he shouldn't use our grief.
"These women have lost enough."
The Wishaw mum, who works for MSP James Dornan, thinks that those have had abortions are being treated as objects rather than human beings.
She believes that those who make the difficult decision also go through the mourning process
Rosa explained: "What these men like John Mason don't understand is that there is no woman who wasn't bothered after a termination.
"I have met loads of women who have had a termination and all of them had to really consider it. My boss (MSP James Dornan ) has submitted a motion to take out that part.
"So it will just read that Parliament is welcoming the Baby Loss Memorial Book. There are MSPs across the chamber who are not happy about what was said.
"Woman like me are supportive of woman who have had a termination because they are also grieving.
"A lot of them have made the choice because of medical reasons or abuse or their financial situation won't allow it. That doesn't mean they are not bereft.
"They are not faceless woman to us. I feel that some of the pro-lifers see them as faceless woman in a large crowd, however, these are real people who will be affected for the rest of their lives.
"These women deserve more respect."
MSP John Mason says that he welcomes the introduction of the memorial book and that each child lost deserves to be recognised.
He told Glasgow Live: "I absolutely welcome the Baby Loss Memorial Book and hope it is a comfort to those who have suffered such a tragic loss.
"However, when I was thinking about it, it struck me that from the baby’s perspective, the end of his or her life, whatever the reason, is a tragedy. I was seeking to point out an inconsistency if we grieve the loss of some babies and not others.
"So I am just putting forward the thought that we should not distinguish between the loss of some babies over others. All baby losses are tragedies and all the parents deserve our respect and support."
READ NEXT:
White car 'ploughs into' Glasgow motors parked at Arnold Clark garage causing smash
Rangers legend Paul Gascoigne to appear on Channel 4 reality TV show 'Scared of the Dark'
Cumbernauld shopping mall owner in administration as search for new owner begins
Young Celtic fan with agonising curvature on spine 'can't take it anymore' in surgery wait
Glasgow-born babies lives are 12 years shorter than those in wealthy parts of London
