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Several weeks ago, I was asked to give a short talk on “effective pro-baby advocacy to young people” at the Families for Life Expo. I am a high school teacher and have had opportunities to talk to teenagers about abortion on several occasions. Because I teach both philosophy and religious education, I’m in a pretty good spot with young people about life, death, values, and personhood. In the following, I will recount what I spoke about at the Expo.

First, let’s consider the mindset of today’s young people. While research on teens is somewhat limited, we do know some important things. For one, they are significantly more likely to be influenced by their peers than by adults. We also know that most young people today believe that moral truth is not absolute, but rather, situational. In fact, four out of ten teens base their moral decision-making on whatever feels right or comfortable in the moment.

So they’re quite emotive (on average), and this is very symptomatic of the postmodern worldview of the age, which (if you didn’t know), is relativistic, apathetic, and anti-reason.

Given this, it’s not surprising that most young people today view abortion favourably (1, 2, 3). Gen Z girls have been shown to be particularly radical about it. In one survey, they were more likely than any other group to believe that abortion should be legal in all cases. This view isn’t necessarily grounded in deep reflection, but is rather a result of cultural influences, social media, and the echo chamber effect.

It might also come as no surprise that young people have quite limited knowledge of abortion. They are often unaware of the laws surrounding it, the statistics, and even the basic facts about how it’s performed. This is something I’ve encountered time and again when speaking with teens.

In one class, the lesson evolved into a debate about abortion. It became clear very quickly that while they were passionate, they lacked depth. They jumped from one talking point to the next, unable to justify or defend their views. Something that became clear was that many young people will simply repeat the slogans they hear without truly engaging with the issue. They had not taken the time to think through their beliefs.

Present the Facts

That’s where we, as advocates for life, can make a difference. Presenting the facts — like details about fetal development, for example — can be incredibly effective in piquing their curiosity and stirring their sympathy. But we need to do this carefully. If we come across as confrontational or dismissive, we risk alienating them. Respectful dialogue is key because, for many of these young people, it’s rare that they encounter someone who holds a pro-life view. The echo-chamber is strong.

In fact, one of the more interesting things I’ve noticed is how absolutely flabbergasted young people are when they meet someone who’s pro-life – particularly since I’m a woman. To them, the very idea seems foreign – that a woman could be pro-life. All they’ve heard is that abortion rights are women’s rights.

Be Honest

But simply letting them know that you’re pro-life can be powerful. It challenges their assumptions and forces them to think more deeply about the issue. Sometimes, surprise is all it takes to open the door to further reflection.

Another observation I’ve made is that young people will often bring up the most extreme examples — cases of rape, teen pregnancy, or when the mother’s life is at risk. These examples are frequently used because they are emotionally charged, and it’s in these cases that young people believe abortion is more defensible.

But I don’t believe they’re thinking about these so strategically. More often than not, they raise these scenarios simply because these are the talking points they hear most frequently. They don’t realise that the vast majority of abortions don’t fall into these categories.

Find Common Ground

A good strategy here is to find common ground. We all hate rape, we all want to prevent unwanted pregnancies, and we all care about the lives of mothers. By acknowledging these shared concerns, we can create a foundation for more meaningful discussion.

Connecting the pro-life position to broader justice issues — like advocating for the vulnerable — also resonates with young people.

We’d do well to emphasise that the pro-baby stance doesn’t stop at opposing abortion, but also involves supporting women who do choose life. Many are under the impression that pro-life is really just pro-birth, and that we don’t care what happens afterward. By emphasising and presenting a more holistic view, we stand a much better chance at connecting with young people who are passionate about values like justice.

Be Sensitive

It’s important to recognise that some of the young people we talk to may know someone who has had an abortion or may have had one themselves. We need to be sensitive here. For some people, they aren’t just defending an idea, but rather the choices made by themselves or the people they know.

I myself have a family member who has made this choice and has grown so much since then. She knows we care about her. She also knows that she has moved on from that time.

These young people also need to know that we care about them and that they, too, can grow beyond their past decisions.

As the saying goes, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” This is especially true when engaging with young people, and especially on a topic like this.

Keep It Real

In my experience, young people are also open to the idea of family and motherhood being valuable. By framing motherhood and family life in a positive light, we can make the pro-life position seem not only reasonable but desirable.

Many of my own students know that one of my ultimate life goals is to have kids and raise a family. Showing them that I value these things helps them realise that the pro-life view isn’t just about abstract moral principles — it’s about valuing the real, tangible beauty of life and relationships.

Of course, there are young people who have thought more deeply about abortion (I have enjoyed stumbling upon them) — but these are the minority. The reality is that everyone has different interests, so naturally a lot of people aren’t going to want to put in the time to know more. For many of them, my sense is that they’d rather avoid thinking too hard about it altogether, if for no other reason than to avoid social exclusion as a consequence of having a differing view.

Engage with Contradictions

Earlier in the year, I asked some young people to define “personhood”. How they did this would have to affect their view of abortion.

Many of them went to great lengths to write a definition which excluded the unborn while including everyone else. But what they found — and what I think they hadn’t fully realised prior to this — is that this is an incredibly difficult, if not impossible, task.

Every time you exclude the unborn for some lack in ability, you also exclude those with severe disabilities. There are few who can sit comfortably in their own contradiction. It’s an inconsistency, and these kinds of challenges invite teenagers to think more critically.

I hope these six simple strategies have given you some idea of how to engage young people in the pro-life conversation. Please continue to pray for our young people and our culture as a whole.

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Image courtesy of Adobe.