This Trans Woman Points Out The Hypocrisy Of Some Pro-Lifers

While not everyone subscribes to the same definition of "pro-life," the term implies being, well, pro-life — or advocating for the value of life right at its very conception. But Valerie Jackson, who identifies as a trans woman, pointed out that even this inherent value doesn't seem to be the case for some pro-lifers. In a post to her Facebook page, Jackson questioned the argument often put forth by the pro-life movement: that those in the movement truly see every life as being valuable. When her mother had her at age 18, Jackson wrote, "she had every right to decide whether she wanted to terminate that pregnancy." Though Jackson wrote that she's glad to get to share her life with her mother, and it no longer matters whether or not her mother considered an abortion at the time, she ponders what would have happened if "a social conservative" had to convince her mother not to get an abortion. "Let's say she did consider an abortion, and a social conservative convinced her how important and 'Godly' it was to keep me," she wrote. "All these years later, I come out as transgender. Then that same social conservative condemns and judges me for transitioning." Citing the disproportionately high suicide rates amongst transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, Jackson asked, "where is that same social conservative? Shouldn't they be trying to help me stay alive when I'm weak and vulnerable again?" "They say they value life so much, yet I know they see the news stories of us killing ourselves, being tortured, and murdered at record setting rates every year," she wrote. "Where's the compassion, respect, and love for me now?" Jackson calls out those in the pro-life movement who seem to display hypocrisy, advocating for life in particular instances but not others. As she wrote, "a true held value will always be the common thread in all your actions, not just the few you like." Of course, beliefs within a movement can be wide, varied, and complicated — but Jackson makes some valid points, questioning a value that doesn't always hold up even when it seems to be essential to the movement. Read her full post below.