By Dave Andrusko
So much for chestnuts roasting on an open fire. If you’re Teen Vogue you have more important topics, such “How to Talk About Abortion With Your Family.” What better time to spring a conversation about abortion than the holiday season, “a time for festive traditions, elaborate meals, and gathering with the people you love the most,” in the words of Fortesa Latifi .
Read Latifi and you can learn a lot about what pro-abortionists think of tradition-oriented families.
She begins by setting out the “what-ifs.” You might be enjoying the season when sometimes in the midst of holiday gatherings, tough topics can come up – especially in light of the recent Supreme Court decision which overturned Roe v Wade. If you’re heading to holiday gatherings where you plan to talk about abortion with those who may not support it, there are a few steps you can take to foster a productive discussion.
To be sure, some of the advice could apply to any controversial topic…
Before you go into the conversation, remind yourself that you don’t necessarily need to change people’s minds, just give them something to think about. Entering the conversation with compassion can help that along.
… which is good advice for pro-lifers as well.
As is “Arm yourself with the facts.” Alas the “facts” come from Planned Parenthood. Which makes sense since all her sources [naturally] are pro-abortion: Andrea Schmidt, Public Affairs Project Manager at Planned Parenthood of Orange & San Bernardino Counties, and author Hannah Matthews. Their first comment presupposes a level of parental hostility that is startling:
Both Schmidt and Matthews stress that young people need to take stock of the situations they’re in and assess whether it’s safe to discuss abortion. This can be particularly fraught for young people who may rely on their families for housing, financial assistance, or other resources. “Always assess your own wellbeing,” Schmidt says. “Make sure you’re first and foremost taking care of your health and safety.”
Matthews encourages young people to give themselves grace while considering whether or not it’s safe to have these conversations. “You have to think to yourself, has this person been safe in the past when we’re talking about things like my right to exist and my right to make choices about my body?” Matthews says. “I do think there’s a lot of pressure to have these conversations but you don’t owe anyone a debate over your own body and your own humanity.”
So, parents are going to throw them out or blackmail them with questions about their very existence? Wow!
“Remind your relatives that abortion is personal.” Remind them at, they advise, that “About 1 in 4 women in America will have an abortion by age 45.”
That’ll put family at ease, right?
Paul Stark, Communications Director for Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, has a much more winsome approach. In addition to knowing the true facts about abortion, being able to articulate the case for life, being conversant about fetal development, and being knowledgable about common objections, Mr. Stark tells us
Know how abortion can hurt women
The health risks of abortion, both physical and psychological, are very well documented. Familiarize yourself with a few facts. For example while no one ultimately regrets not having an abortion, many, many (though of course not all) women now deeply regret their decision in favor of abortion.
Is this not information that is perfect to share during the season when we celebrate the birth of the One who came to save us all?