Across the country, pro-abortion activists are calling for women to spark a personal, “new conversation about abortion access” in an effort to de-stigmatize the practice.
The 1 in 3 Campaign, as in “1 in 3 women will have an abortion in her lifetime,” a project of the sexual health group Advocates for Youth, is in the midst of its “Week of Action.”
“From October 22 to 29, activists, campus organizers, and people just like you will host events all around the country for the 1 in 3 Campaign Week of Action, to start a new round of conversations about abortion access and our shared experiences,” Advocates for Youth explained on their blog about the campaign’s Week of Action.
The campaign’s website suggests activists host a “casual get-together,” a “dinner or dessert party,” have a book to discuss the book “1 in 3: These Are Our Stories,” and/or set up a table on campus or in the community to get the conversation going.
The campaign further encourages activists to get supporters to sign on to their pledge:
“I pledge to speak out against the shaming of women who have had an abortion. I will help build a culture of empathy, justice, and support for access to abortion care and for the 1 in 3 women who will have an abortion in her lifetime. The silence and stigma end here,” it reads.
The 1 in 3 Campaign was launched in 2011, and it’s website features personal stories in print and video of women who have has abortions.
“Abortion has always been and will always be a part of women’s lives. The question now is whether it will remain safe and legal,” the 1 in 3 Campaign told The Daily Caller in an email. “The 1 in 3 Campaign is about ending the stigma and shame women are made to feel about abortion. As we share our stories we begin to build a culture of compassion, empathy, and support for access to basic health care.”
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List called the campaign strategy “smart” but told TheDC in the end the pro-life movement would win the long-term political battle.
“Their best argument is that this is [morally] murky, our best argument is that these are two human beings,” a mother and a child, Dannenfelser said.
According to Dannenfelser, however, “complicated doesn’t stand a chance against the moral question” of life.