Calgary city council approved an amendment to the community standards bylaw to protect people from viewing graphic images of fetuses when delivered to their homes. .“Images of aborted fetuses can be deeply traumatizing and harmful for some individuals when viewed unexpectedly,” said Calgary Coun. Jennifer Wyness in a Tuesday press release..“While we want to uphold the freedom of advocacy groups to express their opinions, we need to also balance our responsibility to protect communities.” .The release said the amendment outlines home-delivered flyers which have graphic images of fetuses must be concealed in an opaque envelope, with a graphic content warning, and include the name and address of the sender. .It said the amendment introduces a layer of protection against people being exposed to graphic content when collecting flyers in the mail. Through engagement, the City of Calgary heard flyers containing these images can be disturbing and painful for those who have experienced a miscarriage or abortion. .The three requirements of the bylaw amendment carry separate fines of $1,000 if violated. .If Calgarians receive a flyer with a graphic image of a fetus not enclosed in an envelope with a warning label and sender’s address, they can report it to 311. .All reported incidents will be investigated, and enforcement will be based on education, voluntary compliance, and officer discretion. .Wyness concluded by saying society accepts “not all content is appropriate for everyone, which is why we have R-ratings for disturbing or mature films, for example.” .“These pamphlets fall under that same category and it's reasonable to ask that they come with a content warning,” she said.
