In light of recent developments across the country, I have been thinking a lot about abortion and the pro-life vs. pro-choice movement.

Whether you agree or disagree with the new rulings on abortion, it is clear that states are drawing lines in the sand. Some states are expanding the rights to an abortion, while others are imposing heavy restrictions.

As a culture, this issue has developed into one of the most polarizing topics that has driven much of our right wing vs. left wing debates. Early on each side developed terms to describe their desired goal for abortion policies. And since the late 1960s, we have used the terms pro-life and pro-choice.

But these terms are misleading. They sound like something they are not. They are in fact part of a divisive marketing strategy.

Pro-life

The term pro-life actually means anti-abortion. It is not a statement of believing in life for all. If that were true them their policies would include how to save children after they are born. It would reach beyond birth and look to all life in search of a way to save it.

Interestingly, most pro-life supporters also support decreased federal and state aid to citizens in lower socio-economic situations. It is about babies being born but not about support them after that.

The strategy

In the wake of Roe vs. Wade, the anti-abortion groups decided they needed a better term to describe themselves. The needed an emotional response to there policies. And so they borrowed the term pro-life. This helped them in two ways.

First, the word “pro” suggests a positive outcome instead of the negative “anti”. And second, adding “life” gives it much more power. You have to feel very strongly about what you are saying if you imply that you are not pro-life.

It is a game of developing a negative perspective on the opposing players. By saying that anti-abortion supporters were pro-life you can accuse pro-choice supporters of being anti-life. It is a strategy that causes people to fear. No one wants to be labeled as anti-life.

It is also worth noting that when they coined the term pro-life they borrowed it from a book by A. S. Neill in his book, Summerhill: A Radical Approach to Childrearing. His book published in 1960, promoted progressive parenting and political inclusion. Neill wrote, “no pro-life citizen would tolerate our penal code, our hangings, our punishments of homosexuals, our attitude towards bastardy.” It’s clear that the term was developed to promote equality, not anti-abortion policies.

Pro-choice

The term pro-choice isn’t a term that is speaking about the choice to abort. It is talking about the woman. When this right is discussed in our government, what we are really doing is deciding if women are allowed to make decisions for their own body.

Women want to be the ones to make the choice. Not men, not the government, not anyone. They wanted to be the masters of their own body.

So when people put the pregnancy before the woman they are literally removing the rights of the woman. Pregnancy is not a tool to control anyone. It is a life long commitment to a human life and its future should not be decided by anyone but the mother.

Fighting back

The pro-abortion groups at the time were struck by a term that painted them in such a negative light. This tactic forced them to counter the term pro-life with their own term, pro-choice. This fit well with their goals and still does, however, it does not have the same polarizing effect that pro-life has.

However, pro-choice was developed for a reason. This movement wasn’t just about abortion. It was about women having the freedom to decide for themselves. It was about the right to choose what was best for their own lives. It was about equality.

Her body, her choice. It is a shame that we are still fighting this battle today.

End the confusion and commit

The idea that because you believe that women should have the right to choose, means that you are against life is ridiculous and divisive. We need to stop confusing the issue with manipulative words that provide a platform for guilt induced decisions.

Pro-life is made to sound like it has everyone’s best interest in mind, but it misses half the story. Life is more than a pregnancy. Life is more than having a baby. Life is about having your own freedom.

Instead of pro-choice or pro-life, let’s just remove the label and call it what it is. I believe in the woman’s right to choose an abortion. If you don’t, that’s your choice, but calling it pro-life is not an honest description.