Yesterday as I was leaving work, a young, African-American man stopped me and asked if I was “for” women’s rights. I can assume that if I said yes he would have asked me to sign a petition he was advocating.  Because I was in a hurry, I typically would have continued on my way without engaging him. However, because I have heard the term “women’s rights” at least five times in the course of the past week, and frankly, my patience is waning in the face of the onslaught of false rhetoric surrounding this election cycle, I couldn’t help but stop and chat.

I asked him, “What exactly are you referring to when you say “women’s rights”; what “rights” are we talking about?” He answered, ironically, given that I am a woman and he is not, “reproductive rights.” Saddened and burdened by this response, I asked him “what about equal rights for unborn women?” He obviously had not given that any thought because he didn’t know how to respond. After about twenty seconds he asked me, “is this a trick question?” I told him no and that I hoped he would really think about the point I had made.

If I had the chance to speak with this gentleman again I would have gently added that pushing reproductive rights is on the wrong side of history.  Humans should not be discriminated against because of their size, sex, color, race, disability, etc.

I love everything related to the inherent dignity and vocation of women. I’m grateful for my educational opportunities, the right to vote, my career opportunities the fact that I am able to lead a non-profit organization, a stark contrast from what the vast majority of women throughout history, and even living today have enjoyed. Furthermore, I’m grateful that I am 100% equal in dignity to my husband.

But I am tired of the damaging and erroneous idea that abortion is a positive thing for women. I have met so many women that profoundly grieve having been involved in an abortion. I’ve talked to a dad who lost his daughter to legal abortion. There is study after study showing the negative consequences of abortion – be it emotionally or physically.

Because of the cause of “reproductive rights,” approximately 30 million females are missing in the United States today – future Olympic athletes, scientists, doctors, artists, teachers, sisters, mothers, daughters, lawmakers, and maybe even a President. Women deserve the truth about this issue. Abortion is profoundly anti-woman. Choosing life is empowering, not taking the life of your precious little one.