There's kind of a stereotype for the people who support the pro-life movement: Catholic/Christian, middle class, white, etc. And yes, I definitely fit that criteria. However, these next few posts are to show the diversity of the movement and shed some light on groups within the pro-life movement that are ignored by the media and overlooked by the general public. This weeks group is PLAGAL, or the Pro-Life Alliance of Gays and Lesbians. PLAGAL began in 1990 as local groups in both Washington DC and Minneapolis, MN (shout out to my favorite state). The movement began as "Gays Against Abortion," but the name was changed in 1991 to the name it has today with a more positive tone and includes a larger community. The group participates in annual marches including the March for Life and Pride Marches. Photo Credit to PLAGAL.org: Picture Gallery The group said that "Our membership includes women and men of various sexual orientations, political affiliations, and geographic locations-- all committed to raising awareness of the pro-life ethic as consistent with the gay and lesbian struggle for human rights." So basically, PLAGAL believes that fighting for the rights of unborn children is consistent with their battle for equality. They say that "human rights begin when human life begins." They fight for both the rights of the unborn and equal rights for gays and lesbians. I find this group very interesting and inspiring. They are already fighting an uphill battle themselves yet they are willing to take on another very hot button issue because they are firm in the belief of protecting life and promoting human rights. The Vice President of PLAGAL, Tim Cravens asked "How can we fight for the humanity of those within the LGBT community while ignoring the humanity of the unborn child? As members of the LGBT community, we know all too well what it is like to be considered less than human. We know what it is like to be unwanted. It is a false belief that if we support a woman's so-call "right to choose," we are securing the rights of those within the LGBT community." It is really interesting to see the parallels between the two movements and amazing to see this community come together so passionately to participate in the pro-life movement. What do you think of this group? Do you agree with their logic? Please share your comments below! I hope you enjoyed this post! Get ready for another exciting post next weekend! If you would like more information on PLAGAL, check out their website:
4 Comments
Cat
2/20/2017 01:13:44 pm
Another great post! This sounds like an amazing group that should be more widely recognized. It's true that there is the stereotype on pro-life advocates that they're religious people that don't support women's rights to their bodies, but no one acknowledges the rights of the unborn child. I'd say there's a stereotype on pro-choice advocates that they're liberal, feminists, and believe in equality, but no one seems to consider that there's another human who's rights need to be taken into account. PLAGAL's logic makes complete sense. You can't fight for justice and equality for everyone, while distinctly dismissing a whole group of people, especially when they're babies that aren't given the chance of life. If someone believes in women making choices about their bodies then how is it okay for someone to decide the fate and life of another. To me, it seems there's a gap in pro-choice supporters logic.
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Lauren Shiplett
2/20/2017 02:33:04 pm
Hey! I've been keeping up with your blog because I think having a diversity of opinion is incredibly important, especially in our little DC "bubble". So often, people stereotype the intelligence or education of certain political parties, and I think that when people like you are showing how you make these educated, informed, decisions on your own, that breaks that (IMO, wrong) stereotype. Speaking of breaking stereotypes, I think this blog was interesting because you did just that - showed how every single person makes their own political decisions, and no one can fit into a "box" just because they belong to one group. I personally think if we're going to grow as a country, we need to understand that individuals do make these choices on their own, and stereotyping people as one way or another negates the experience of so many people who believe otherwise. Thanks for sharing your voice, and I look forward to reading more!
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Zack Bachmann
2/22/2017 08:35:27 am
Wow, this is a fascinating post. I think it's great you took this space to shine light on an often forgotten part of the pro-life community. I agree with your assessment that many view the pro-life movement as this homogenous population that fits the characteristics you mentioned at the beginning of your post. I think the use of visuals here is also extremely effective. It's one thing to use words to describe this movement and the people that are a part of it, but to see their activism in picture form just adds a whole new layer to this (as with anything else). Great angle and I look forward to learning more about the pro-life movement!
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Rachel Armany
3/1/2017 09:44:43 am
This was really interesting to read! I actually don't know very many pro-life LGBTQ millennials in my own life, but I think it's important to recognize that even if you don't personally encounter something, that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. This post is great for diversity of opinion in the #SMPASocial group, and an important way to provide visibility for this group. Nice job~
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AuthorI am a sophomore at GWU, originally from Northern Minnesota, studying International Affairs and Journalism. This is a blog for my social media class and I really hope you enjoy my perspective as a pro-life millennial. Archives
April 2017
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