by Jessica Resuta

Our guest blogger is a junior journalism major at Franciscan University of Steubenville and a past winner of the PA Pro-Life Federation’s Oratory Contest.

Selena Gomez, Arianna Grande, Miley Cyrus

These are all former Disney Channel and Nickelodeon stars who influenced so many little girls as someone to look up to and who now as beautiful, famous young women still command the attention of the public spotlight.

Yet recently these women have all felt the need to praise and portray abortion as a way to empower women. Cyrus with her “abortion is healthcare” cake photo, Grande with her donation of concert proceeds to Planned Parenthood, and Gomez’s modeling and endorsement of a “1973” necklace by Sophie Ratner to commemorate Roe v. Wade’s abortion victory.  

Although it’s completely their choice to express themselves this way, it seems very telling of our present social climate that these young women see their glamorous endorsements of abortion as the answer to being strong women and solving problems in the world.  And yes, that’s their choice, but it does make an impact on the culture and the public’s perception of issues like abortion.

Viewing abortion as empowerment may appear simple and popular, but it completely disregards the natural function and capability of a woman’s body to form and carry children – a new, unique life.  That is empowering, as only a woman is able to carry a new life in her womb. It is empowering to protect the ones who need the most protection and to love those who are being torn down. In a society that constantly says “why can’t we just love and accept everyone?” I would say yes, why can’t we?

Abortion does not empower women, it removes them farther from their true selves and unique capabilities that only they possess as women. The ability to be a mother is a gift, a responsibility and an incredible capability that women should be praised for and encouraged in, not berated. Abortion is seen as a good thing because so many women are being told that it is degrading to have a child or that it is the only option.  Since so much emphasis and endorsement are placed on devaluing unborn lives and the role a woman plays in that life, women are convinced that abortion must be right and celebrated as the way to go, and the only way.

But what about all the amazing women whose stories are often ignored?  The young mothers who chose to bear and raise a child under difficult circumstances, and self-sacrificed so much out of love; the mother who gave a child with special needs a chance to share his love and joy with the world; the women who opened their homes and families to adopt a child who needed one;  the young woman who chooses to embrace her unique and beautiful femininity as a woman by not bending to the peer pressure to support abortion. These are women who are truly empowered, not by taking the way out of responsibility and sacrifice, but by looking at what it really means to love and accept those who are forgotten, neglected and vulnerable, and playing their role in the world as women.  That is powerful. Love is powerful.

So does society have to be this way? And are women truly empowered by abortion?  From Cyrus’ vibrant “birthday-style” cake there is an echo of all the birthday cakes that were never made for children who were “unwanted;” from Grande, there are the millions of dollars which could have been given to adoption facilities or women’s pregnancy care centers; and from Gomez’s necklace, the reminder of over 60 million American lives that were never given a chance.  

To Selena, Arianna, and Miley: you are beautiful, gifted women who as women and as humans have a capacity to love and respect, and also have the power to influence so many young girls who look to you and a culture that very often follows the crowd. Abortion does not enable a woman to love and respect others, but causes her to hide from who she is and what she can give to the world. Our society does not need fear, it needs an openness to love.