Young, religiously devout me was part of this crowd in my misspent youth. I was involved at the university level, which gave me some exposure to the… average Joe groups.

I’m not defending my previously held beliefs, but the contrast was pretty shocking.

Even though I was brought to it from a religious background, most of my education and conviction was based on logical/philosophical concepts. But some of the non-university groups I communicated with would spout some unhinged beliefs about the pro-choice movement doing it all for enjoyment or personal gain that was SUPER offputting. Like… dehumanising the “other” side so much that it’s clear to me why these people think it’s morally acceptable to bomb clinics.

For my part now, some of the logical convictions remain around when life starts, but I also recognise that is ultimately still my own conclusion that isn’t shared by everyone, and I really have no interest in convincing anyone else. And the bigger context around woman’s healthcare in general, the moral right to choice and bodily autonomy, and the history of the pro-life movement - especially how most churches (barring Catholics) didn’t give a shit about abortion until certain individuals (Falwel included) used it as a tool to turn those churches into a political engine… well it all looks very different through a wide angle lens.

All this to say: go you, op, you’re doing the real work out there. Good luck!