We Asked, You Answered: What experiences might influence someone to identify as pro-life or pro-choice?
The abortion debate is often reduced to political labels and abstract arguments, yet every deeply held conviction is rooted in a personal, defining experience. To move beyond the soundbites and dig a little deeper, we recently reached out to our online community, posing two questions: “What are some personal experiences that might influence someone to identify as ‘pro-choice’?” (on X, on Facebook) and “What are some personal experiences that might influence someone to identify as ‘pro-life’?” (on X, on Facebook). Read a sampling of their candid replies below.
Pro-choice
From what I’ve seen in my country, it isn’t really about being pro-choice at all but rather being apathetic until it happens to you. Having asked a few what you would call ‘pro-choicers’, the overbearing nature of both religion and conservative politics on the subject puts a lot of people off from being on the pro-life side.
Calling people (most notably, the left-wing and the irreligious/atheist) ‘evil’ certainly doesn’t help.
Alan Robert Tyson
Poverty (either currently or having grown up in poverty and resenting their parents for it)
Pre-existing medical conditions that make pregnancy more high risk
Previously being religious and de-converting (and strong associations between religion and being pro-life)
*Sort of related: having bad experiences with sidewalk people at clinics, said people usually having some religious affiliation and also calling people names like “baby killer” etc
Distant exposure to people with disabilities and thinking their life must be full of suffering (I specify distant exposure because anyone with close proximity to disabled people knows it’s not all suffering)
Reming Morton
I hate to see people want to criminalize women for it. I think education and support is the best way. Some people are truly in favor of it and actually think it’s Healthcare or that fetuses aren’t human. But all the vitriol in the world won’t change their thinking.
Melanie Black
Feeling like you’re already failing the kids you have. Obviously, I’m 100% pro-life, and although my family is complete, I would accept and love an unplanned baby, [but] I can see feeling REALLY guilty about the time/resources it would take away from my older children. I think the pro-life movement is great at helping people feel like they can handle a first unplanned pregnancy, but there’s probably a huge untapped opportunity to assist people who already have older children and may feel very ashamed because they should “know what causes that, right?”
Anna Zwergel
In my case it was just rejecting religious conservatism and, if you will, throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Didn’t take long to come around and realize that I was still pro-life, but I never gave it much thought for decades, until it started to become a major litmus test.
CenterPopulist
Also just like… being raised by people who definitely shouldn’t have reproduced.
Kate Devine
Insults from rude pro-life people; lack of help during an unplanned and/or difficult pregnancy; encounters with pro-life activists harassing clients and workers outside abortion clinics.
anto_vallini
Pro-life
Knowing that you’re on the list of “undesirables” for which abortion is often recommended.
Kate Jenkins
Scanning babies every day as an ultrasound technologist.
Rebekah Smith
For me, the more research I do, the more pro-life I am—especially research into ACOG and other pro-choice organizations.
Ashley Perryman
I will not elaborate but my best friend made me start questioning my “pro choice” beliefs
QueerPapita
Being the child of a high school dropout and a teenage mom.
Christopher McNally
For me, it was as a consequence of my philosophical development.
The Aristotelian philosophical tradition has thoroughly and firmly cemented me on the pro-life side.
Chris McCue
My best friend growing up had an aborted older sibling. She keenly felt the potential of that being her.
As an adult, I learned my own story: My mother had PPD after me. I was her fifth kid, born when she was 41. Her dad, who was also her OBGYN, said she couldn’t handle another mentally and was afraid I’d be autistic (the typical over-40 scare). My dad agreed, but was all for “choice.” She had me anyway.
Katherine FL
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