Abortion activists occasionally resort to the tired accusation that Pro-Lifers are “sexist.” This red herring has taken on the insidious guise of legitimacy after being studied from a “purely scientific point of view.” However, the preemptive claims of moral high ground by the abortion lobby deserve closer examination.
Stephanie Begun, a PhD candidate at the University of Denver, published a study in Affilia, a journal for feminist perspectives on social work. For the study, Begun examined the data from a grand total of 6 U.S. colleges and universities. Among the coeds Begun discerned a link between “hostile and benevolent sexism” and “antichoice attitudes” (read Pro-Life). With that conclusive study surveying 637 people on college campuses, the liberal media has run gleefully wild, proclaiming bold headlines like: Sexists More Likely to Be Anti-Abortion, Study Finds, Confirming Something Many Of Us Have Long Suspected and Study: Anti-abortion views linked to sexist attitudes towards women.
Make no mistake, this is far from a victory cry for abortion activists. Rather, the bogus charge that their opponents are “sexist” is an indication that abortion activists are losing the battle. And this does seem to be the case. First, consider that Millennials are the Pro-Life generation. From their participation in Pro-Life organizations to their views on late term abortion, many young adults have shown that they are strongly and uncompromisingly Pro-Life.
Second, look at the Pro-Life legislative developments of 2015. Kansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Tennessee are just a handful of the many states in which strong Pro-Life legislation is passing with a significant margin. Remember also the U.S. House passing the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act last week.
Finally, let yourself have a good laugh at the idea that Pro-Lifers are a bunch of sexist lunatics. The Pro-Life movement has brought to light the abuses of the predatory abortion industry, given women real reproductive choice, and offered women and men healing after the violence of abortion. If you still have fears about the lurking “sexism” among your favorite Pro-Life pals, spend some time with the New Wave Feminist. Your fears will be laid to rest.
So, abortion activists are still calling Pro-Lifers sexist? This straw man argument…excuse my benevolent sexism, straw woman argument should be recognized as a red herring. The issue is whether the child in her mother’s womb has a Right to Life. Is every human Life deserving of respect or only some? This is not uniquely a women’s issue; this is an issue of personhood and a question of what kind of society we want to be. Don’t let name-calling distract from the truth.