On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision, leaving it up to states to determine whether women have the right to get an abortion. This is huge news for nonprofits that serve women, families, and youth because we have to be prepared for a new wave of challenges that will impact our communities as a result of this decision.
In this article, I’ll (1) analyze the Christian/conservative perspective on abortion, (2) talk about how the Supreme Court decision impacts human rights, and (3) explain how nonprofit leaders should respond to the decision. I certainly value your feedback and responses, but please do not contact me until after you have read this article in its entirety.
The Christian / Conservative Perspective on Abortion
Many Christians believe that we become people with souls not from the moment we’re born, but rather while we’re still in the womb. (See Jeremiah 1:5 and other Bible verses implying that God knows us as people before we’re even born.) In this belief system, a fertilized egg, an embryo, and a fetus would all be considered people with the human right to life. Because of this belief, many Christians and conservative Americans believe abortion is sinful and wrong.
I completely understand this belief. I’ll go ahead and say it: As a Christian, my heart breaks to think of a life being cut off before it’s even begun. I do not like abortion.
But the conversation can’t end here because the Bible calls us to consider all human lives, not just the life of a soon-to-be baby.
How Outlawing Abortion Impacts Human Rights
We can’t oversimplify the conversation about abortion by only looking at the egg/embryo/fetus in question because Americans and Christians are obligated to consider how every human is impacted by this issue. There are countless ways that other humans are impacted by abortion laws, but for the sake of brevity, I’ll just outline a few:
Without the right to abortion, a woman who has become pregnant as a result of rape is forced to give birth to a child she didn’t consent to have. In this scenario, the woman is forced to decide either to raise the child (who is a daily reminder of the woman’s traumatic experience); or to give the child up for adoption to someone who may or may not care lovingly for the child. If she keeps the child, she must make a decision about whether she wants to confront her rapist to request financial support. The rapist may demand shared custody of the child, in which case the woman would either have to give into this demand and allow her child to be cared for by a dangerous person; or press charges against the rapist for his crimes to avoid sharing custody and get the financial support she is due. (Note: Pressing charges against a rapist is traumatic and challenging because the burden of proof is placed on the woman, and she may not have substantial proof by the time she learns she’s pregnant. Without proof, the woman is subject to public humiliation in court.)
Without the right to abortion, a woman with poor health and/or pregnancy complications may be forced to risk her life by giving birth. Even if she doesn’t die, she’ll go through the trauma of facing a life-endangering condition, and the stress caused by this situation could harm the fetus’s health and development. If she does die, her baby must go through life without a mother. Her family, including her partner, would also go through the trauma of watching their loved one die or almost die.
Denying the right to abortion doesn’t prevent all women from having abortions. Women with greater financial privilege are able to travel to get an abortion performed safely where it is legal. Women without this financial privilege (in other words, those who are the least financially prepared to care for a baby) are forced to have a child they may not be able to care for; go through the traumatic experience of giving up their child through adoption to a family that may or may not provide loving care; or have an unregulated, unsafe abortion performed.
When abortion is outlawed, we force women into traumatic, unsafe situations. We fail to prevent women who have the resources to care for a child from getting an abortion. And we force women who don’t have the resources to care for a child to do so anyway.
How Outlawing Abortion Impacts Children
Let’s say your and your supporters’ top priority is protecting children’s lives. I completely understand this goal, and on the surface, it may seem like outlawing abortion will give all children the chance to live. But there are many flaws in this line of thinking:
First, as mentioned earlier, outlawing abortion doesn’t prevent all women from getting an abortion. Women can either travel to get an abortion where the procedure is legal or choose to get an unsafe, illegal abortion.
Evidence shows that when women are denied an abortion, their lives are negatively impacted for years. They’re more likely to live in poverty, lack money to cover basic living expenses, and experience bankruptcy and/or an eviction. They’re also more likely to remain with an abusive partner and/or lose support from their partner and family. This is not the type of home life children should be subjected to.
Additionally, evidence shows that children born to women who have been denied an abortion are more likely to experience delayed development and are more likely to be resented by their mothers.
You may wonder, “Why don’t pregnant women just place their children up for adoption if they don’t want to become mothers?” But it’s not that simple. Consider how difficult it would be for you to make such a decision: Would you really trust the life of your child to the hands of strangers who you’ve only met a handful of times? Over 90% of women denied abortions clearly can’t and choose to keep their babies, despite the negative conditions of their lives.
I don’t like abortion because I believe all children have the right to live safe, healthy lives. But outlawing abortion does not ensure safe, healthy lives.
How Nonprofit Leaders Should Respond
If you’re a nonprofit leader, you have influence over a community that has given you their trust and respect. It’s your responsibility to educate your community about how the Supreme Court decision impacts women, families, and youth in your community. Here’s what you can do:
Educate yourself. Read up on how outlawing abortion impacts the people you serve, especially if you serve populations that are already marginalized like people of color and women with fewer financial resources.
Educate your community. You can acknowledge the value of human life while also explaining that outlawing abortion is not the best way to honor human life.
Educate your lawmakers. Request meetings with your elected officials to explain how your nonprofit’s beneficiaries, supporters, and programs will be impacted if abortion is outlawed. (Note: You can advocate without lobbying! Advocacy is not considered lobbying unless you ask lawmakers to vote for/against specific legislation.)
Empower your community. Ask your supporters to write/speak to their elected officials, vote in upcoming elections, and share your educational messages with their friends and family. (Again, this isn’t lobbying unless you urge people to vote for/against specific legislation or political candidates.) Make it as easy as possible for supporters to reach out to their elected officials by providing sample letters and talking points to get them started. And help your supporters get out the vote by reminding them how to get registered to vote and of upcoming voting deadlines.
As a final note, let me encourage you to take action, even if you’re afraid of losing some of your supporters. Remember: The purpose of a nonprofit is to be a mission-driven organization, not a revenue-driven organization. If revenue is your primary focus, you may be working in the wrong sector.
Do you need help talking with your board or supporters about the Supreme Court decision? Do you have any suggestions to add to my list? Please email me.