One of my favorite movies  of all time is The Help.  It’s about a girl named Skeeter who puts her reputation at risk in order to hear and make heard the stories of a misunderstood group of women in her community.

After interviewing a member of the pro-life community this morning, I have been inspired to be a Skeeter in our time, because I think I’ve found this group of women in my own community. And that group is women who have been directly affected by unwanted pregnancy.

Their stories need to be heard.  And there are women out there who could benefit from hearing these stories, not only so they can make an informed decision, but to know that they’re not alone.

This semester, through my thesis, I’m going to undertake the task of defending women with unwanted pregnancy in a community where, when it comes to making decisions we don’t regret, there’s not much definitive wisdom to look to.

When it comes to the abortion debate, nobody trusts the statistics anymore.  Bias comes before evidence, instead of the other way around, as would happen in a pure scientific process.  Numbers don’t turn the debate into a dialogue, and they are weak to change perspectives help people lay down their defenses and consider the other side of the argument.  And associating with a political party never changed anybody’s mind.  How can we work together to empower women to make the right choices in their own lives and feel supported no matter what?

I’m working on my thesis this semester.  I am not afraid of the numbers and the facts, but I know that what really inspires women isn’t a statistic.  It’s other women.  Women whom they can trust, whom they can relate to, whom they can look up to, whom they can journey together with.  Women and their real stories.  Not a statistical, normative trajectory, as if to fit everyone in a box, but each person’s unique struggles and victories and pressures.

If you or anybody you know has been affected by unwanted pregnancy who would like to share their story, I would love to provide you with the opportunity to use that story to save a life — and not just the life of an unborn baby.  It’s time to show the world that these women are not a social problem, a fate, or a way to win an argument.  They are human, they are trying to keep their heads on straight in a desperate situation.  They could use all the help they can get, because with enough support, these women can make decisions in their lives that they will be proud of.

Mainly I’m just writing this post because I finally found my topic and was super excited to tell all of you.  But I could use all the support I can get.

Keep in touch.