Pro-Lifers Out of Step With Women's March on Washington

On January 21, 250,000 women and men will head to Washington, D.C. for the Women's March on Washington, with millions of others across the country and around the world participating in sister marches. But after march organizers dropped the anti-abortion group New Wave Feminists as an official partner, conservative women wonder if there's a place for the "pro-life, anti-Trump" contingent.

The Washington Post reported on this subset of women, who are against abortion, who identify as feminist -- but who also may have voted for Donald Trump.

After march organizers released a list of principles calling for "open access to safe, legal, affordable abortion and birth control for all people, regardless of income, location or education," pro-lifers wondered if there was a place for them at this march.

But Linda Sarsour, one of the main organizers of the march, said that the platform was broad, and the march was open to all, even if they didn't agree with every part of its mission.

"We don't believe a quarter million people will see themselves in every platform," Sarsour told The Washington Post. "We are not a pro-abortion march, we are a pro-women march."

As an example, The Washington Post forwarded Texas anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson, who said Planned Parenthood is to blame for linking abortion and feminism. She said she would march, and carry signs to make her stance known.

"I think it's important that a pro-life feminist voice is there. I am not going to protest, I am going to join in solidarity," Johnson told the Washington Post. "And to be honest, abortion is not the only issue I'm concerned about. I'm concerned about the pay gap. I'm concerned about the lack of women in the political arena. There are a lot of things that are important to me."

Others, like self-described feminist and law student Maria Lyon, told The New York Times that she'd skip the event, because, "right now it feels like if you're pro-life, you're anti-woman. It's like if you care about women and you care about women's right, then you should be pro-choice."

Sarsour responded that, "if you want to come to the march, you are coming with the understanding that you respect a woman's right to choose."

Some of these pro-life marchers seem to be in it just for the martyr status, however, with Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life America, saying her group will march not only with banners but also with Go-Pro cameras, saying, "When [other marchers] start spitting and screaming at us, it will be helpful."

When asked if this subset could march in solidarity with others, NARAL Pro-Choice America's national political director Mitchell Stille wryly told the Times, "Anti-choice women voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump. They got exactly what they wanted, so I'm not sure exactly what the solidarity of that would be."

Terry O'Neill, present of NOW, echoed this sentiment, saying, "Don't try to claim that you're somehow supporting women's rights as human rights if you're trying to stop women from accessing basic healthcare [by denying access to abortion services]."