I was speaking at a conference a couple of years ago. During a Q&A session, a man in the audience brought up abortion and the 14th Amendment. His comment struck me because it framed being pro-abortion in the context of equal rights and legal protections, a perspective that often gets overshadowed.
That moment prompted a bigger question for me, one I hope you’ll consider, too: What’s holding you back from saying you’re pro-abortion?
For decades, we’ve embraced the term “pro-choice,” but I believe this framing no longer serves us. It keeps us stuck in a narrative that stigmatizes abortion rather than affirming it as essential healthcare.
There’s a statistics gap, too. A Gallup poll shows us that 55% of Americans say they’re “pro-choice,” but the phrase “pro-abortion” rarely shows up in opinion polls even though it can win on the ballot in deeply conservative states.
What’s keeping you from turning away from the rhetoric of “pro” and “anti” choice and toward something that might provide meaningful discussion between both sides? I have some ideas about this.
Pro-Choice, But Not Pro-Abortion: The Harmful ‘But’
“Pro-choice” was revolutionary for its time, but it’s deeply flawed. Too often, people say, “I’m pro-choice, but I’d never have an abortion myself,” or “I’m pro-choice, but abortion shouldn’t be used as birth control.” That “but” speaks volumes. It implies judgment, discomfort, and, ultimately, complicity in abortion bans.
The pro-choice narrative, while well-meaning, perpetuates abortion stigma. It positions abortion as something tragic rather than a routine healthcare decision. This framing has given opponents of abortion care room to chip away at our rights while we clung to language that leaves us apologetic and defensive.
Here’s what could change if we talked “pro-abortion” instead of “pro-choice”:
- Greater Public Support for Safe Abortions. A study analyzing media coverage found that when abortion is framed as a healthcare issue, it emphasizes the procedure’s safety and necessity.
- Improve Media Coverage. A comparative analysis of abortion media coverage by CNN and Fox News revealed that each network’s framing strategies align with their political orientations, thereby influencing audience perceptions of the issue.
- Reduce Polarization. Research indicates that moral framing can intensify political polarization and influence legislative debates on abortion.
The Influence of Religion
I recently had a 20 year old patient struggling with the decision to have an abortion because it was “against her morals.” In her mind, her morals were separate from religious beliefs because she didn’t consider herself religious. Her family was religious. We discussed how her “morals” were inherited. We discussed how as she lives more of her life, she will have experiences that will conflict with the values that were given to her from the adults that she trusted. She will need to extend herself the grace and opportunity to process and release those “morals” that no longer hold truth for her.
We need to confront these narratives. The Bible does not explicitly condemn abortion, despite what extremist groups and many pastors claim. In fact, there is ample Biblical support for a woman’s right to decide whether or not to have a baby.
Many faith traditions recognize the complexity of reproductive decisions and prioritize the life and well-being of the person who is pregnant.
How You Can Support Abortion Access
You might wonder what you can do to help.
Start with your words. Commit to saying the word “abortion” confidently in conversations. Normalize it. Avoid framing the “pro-life” argument as “anti-choice” or “anti-abortion” because it just plays into the old paradigm.
Beyond choosing different words to talk about abortion, there are practical ways to make a difference: donate to local abortion funds and nonprofit independent abortion clinics like Desert Star Institute for Family Planning, volunteer with your local clinic or fund, or advocate for policies that expand reproductive healthcare access.
Small, everyday actions matter, too. Speak openly about your support for abortion rights with friends and family. Share fact-based information on social media to counteract misinformation. The more we talk about abortion as basic healthcare, the more we erode the stigma.
From Stigma to Empowerment
Imagine a world where people can say, “I’m pro-abortion,” without hesitation. Abortion is recognized as essential healthcare and a moral choice, free from shame or judgment. Everyone who needs care can access it without fear or stigma.
To get there, we must start with our stories. As we saw during the presidential campaign, pro-abortion activists are abandoning easy slogans and getting personal. Their experiences make the challenges faced by those who seek safe abortion access all too real. Their efforts are also reaching Latinos and other groups that would traditionally be considered “pro-life” with new messages that reach beyond the polarized rhetoric.
I encourage you to follow groups like Shout Your Abortion and WeTestify that encourage storytelling over apology. These groups are helping us change the way we talk about abortion in courts as well as the chambers of Congress and state legislatures.
