As a pro-life activist who supports comprehensive sex education, reliable contraception, and pro-life legislation to reduce the number of abortions performed, I was deeply disheartened to learn that my university’s sex education club, which is officially connected to my university’s student health center, is officially pro-choice.
This revelation came during the graphic image displays of aborted fetuses hosted by my Students for Life club, when the sex education club came out to counter-protest. The president of the club not only falsely claimed that the images were of stillborns, but also claimed that her club officially supported legalized abortion as a matter of public health. When I challenged her on these claims, she admitted that this entire controversy was about whether or not the fetus is a human being, and she believes that the fetus does not become a human being until it is able to survive on its own without medical assistance.
Throughout the day, I was repeatedly told by pro-choice counter-protesters that I needed to support comprehensive sex education and contraception if I was opposed to abortion. Most were shocked when I expressed support for such social policies. But if I were to try to become active in promoting such things on my campus, I would be excluded from doing so by the sex education club because of my political pro-life beliefs!
The sex ed club’s insistence on taking a stance on abortion means that they have fewer opportunities to reach and to educate their fellow students who are pro-life about safer sex. After all, if you alienate a certain segment of the student body, they are less likely to listen to what you have to say.
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Sadly, my university is not unique in this situation. The research that I have done indicates that many clubs and organizations, student-led or otherwise, which promote comprehensive sex education and contraception also take a very pro-choice stance on the issue of abortion. This excludes pro-life individuals from being involved and furthers the stereotype that pro-lifers don’t support such efforts. Then when we proclaim our support for pro-life legislation, we are accused of not really wanting to end abortion and of wanting simply to oppress women because we allegedly do not support policies like comprehensive sex education. This hostile attitude leads to many pro-life advocates not even bothering to consider supporting comprehensive sex education and contraception. Those who do continue to be excluded by both communities… and the cycle repeats itself.
LifeNews Note: Rebecca Stapleford writes for Secular Pro-Life, where this originally appeared.
