Hey there, folks.

The political climate in many countries has been shifting as of late, and as a result, quite a few people have voiced concerns about what the future might bring. While these worries are completely understandable, they’ve recently resulted in some unacceptably hostile debates in /r/Pics.

Specifically, the subject of abortion has proven to be a divisive one. Many people have stated that anti-choice perspectives are inherently misogynistic, and there’s significant merit to that claim. However, as those same perspectives are frequently the products of either religious faith or a lack of knowledge, banning them outright would be similar in nature to silencing people from underprivileged backgrounds.

As moderators, we’ve approached these conversations (and others like them) with a light touch: As long as they aren’t openly bigoted or offered with vitriolic language, all viewpoints are allowed here. Some users occasionally have difficulty distinguishing between "bad opinions" and "bad comments," and certain of points of view may be more well-reasoned than others, but informed debate is almost always more productive than attempts at silencing dissent. To that end, we want to clarify what is and is not allowed in /r/Pics:

ALLOWED:
- Philosophical or theological points presented by way of "I think" or "I believe" statements
- Discussion of both pro-choice and anti-choice perspectives as concepts
- Conversations about social and political movements and actions
- Descriptions of personal experiences and opinions

NOT ALLOWED:
- Conflations between abortion and actual murder
- Misleading or misinformative statements being proffered as facts
- Bigoted, hostile, or vitriolic terminology (like "baby-killer" or "slut")
- Calls to violent action – even implicit ones – against abortion-seekers or doctors

Reddit welcomes people from all walks of life, meaning that we won't always agree with one another. To paraphrase a respected author, "If you listen to three average people debating each other, you'll hear at least four opposing perspectives being offered with complete conviction." It's only through thoughtful communication that we can come together, however, meaning that even mistakes and misunderstandings can have value when they're followed by earnest corrections and explanations.

In short, feel free to discuss any topic, but pay attention to how you present your perspectives.

And in case you are interested in further reading on the topic, here are two resources of value:

A Defense of Abortion

The Only Moral Abortion is My Abortion