For those of you who have read my writer’s bio, you may have noticed that I’ve mentioned I plan to “impact the movement from a legal/political level.”
I applied to law school with the goal in mind to affect abortion laws in this country. This was actually the focus of my application essay.
On the first day of Christian Foundations of Law (CFL) class, I was a student who volunteered to answer why I had chosen to come to law school. And now ever since that first day, whenever abortion comes up, the class gets a chuckle to think of me. Now it is in good fun, especially considering I’m one who likes attention. But it’s not just about the attention. I’m proud of being known for having something to say whenever abortion comes up.
I figured, perhaps naively, that in attending Regent University School of Law, a Christian school down south, that most people, if not everyone I encountered, would be pro-life. I thankfully have come into contact with those who are. A fellow classmate from CFL shared with me his experience with crisis pregnancy centers and told his wife that I would be the one to overturn Roe v. Wade someday! God willing, of course.
I have also come into contact with those who are not as passionate about the life issue, or who are on the fence. And I have always been pro-life because I couldn’t imagine holding any other view, I have met those at Regent who have been shaped by more personal experiences.
Even at a Christian school, I am still known and defined by my pro-life identity. To explain what I mean by this, I look to examples. I have already included one above, with volunteering my answer for coming to law school in class. Even in a room full of other pro-lifers, mine was the only answer to do with abortion.
And so I also mean that abortion comes up in conversation for me when it might not for others. While making small talk with a friend at dinner, I mentioned that I believe I was an attractive candidate for law school primarily because I showed experience and passion for a cause, which happened to be the pro-life movement. It led to conversation which was rather emotional, but for which I’m thankful for. I do see it as having been a chance to plant the seeds so that a new and dear friend may come to the pro-life side, whenever the timing may be.
I may be known for my pro-life views, and not just at Regent University. Sometimes it can be uncomfortable when I’m amongst those who may not share the view as passionately or at all, or when abortion may not normally come up. But it will forever be an identity I am proud to have and use to define myself.
