1. We must move beyond the “faith-based” script.

For too long, the pro-life movement has prioritized religious testimony as the primary narrative framework for storytelling. While these perspectives are personally significant to many, they often fail to resonate with the broader public or the “silent readers” we need to reach. To build a diverse, effective coalition, we must base our advocacy on secular human-rights stories that translate the pro-life position into a shared language of biological reality and human experience.

2. We need to stop gatekeeping and embrace the gray areas.

The pro-choice movement is highly effective because they don’t gatekeep their narrative. They showcase a wide range of experiences without requiring them to be “clean” or “tidy.” Pro-lifers, on the other hand, frequently sanitize stories for fundraising or conferences, omitting anything that doesn’t fit a prepackaged box. To be credible, we must be willing to share the complex, messy realities of women, men, and children, even when those stories don’t have a perfect, “thematically correct” ending.

3. Lived experience is the ultimate counter-argument.

We can spend hours debating biological facts or the philosophical nuances of personhood, but lived experience is much harder to dismiss. As mentioned in the video, “the other side might be able to counter your arguments, but they can’t out-argue your story.” We need to equip everyone, especially men and “quiet” pro-lifers who aren’t interested in being activists, to simply tell their truth. A casual, reasonable story shared with a friend can often do more to shift a perspective than the most rigorous academic debate.

We need to be better communicators.

Since Roe vs Wade was overturned, we have witnessed the success of the pro-choice movement in convincing the public that abortion needs to remain legal and unrestricted. The often-disappointing results of state ballot initiatives have shown how powerfully public opinion has been shaped by the abortion industry’s messaging efforts. Central to these efforts is pro-choice storytelling, which has a dramatic impact on how people perceive abortion. Stories are inherently persuasive and discourage counterarguments.

However, abortion stories don’t all conform to the same clean, tidy narrative. There is a great diversity of stories, and they don’t always favor the pro-choice view. The pro-life movement needs to coordinate and amplify the stories that are left out of the predominant abortion narrative and even outright attacked and ridiculed.

We can learn from the pro-choice movement and their advocacy. The pro-choice movement is very good at storytelling. In addition to groups like Planned Parenthood and NARAL, there are many abortion storytelling organizations, such as Shout Your Abortion and We Testify. Many pro-choice groups actively recruit storytellers through dedicated, easy-to-use websites.

It is interesting to note that pro-choice storytelling organizations don’t gatekeep. Shout Your Abortion does include stories that make abortion look bad. Pro-lifers need to be similarly welcoming. In reality, of course, abortion stories aren’t black-and-white. Our stories have a lot of gray.

Shout Your Abortion (and similar websites) have a cornucopia of abortion stories available online for anyone to view. By contrast, the pro-life movement tends to use stories for fundraising or at pro-life conferences, which means that stories that don’t fit the narrative have to be omitted. Pro-lifers need venues for a broad range of stories, including those that don’t fit neatly in any prepackaged box.

Additionally, a lot of pro-life storytelling is about finding faith and coming to Jesus. However, the faith-based message is not necessarily the best message for persuading the general public. To reach a broader audience, we need to include a broader range of stories.

Pro-choicers often become activists through sharing their abortion story. However, on the pro-life side, many people with an abortion story live a very quiet life and don’t want to be activists. They are afraid of backlash from angry pro-choicers. The pro-life movement needs to provide support and guidance for these quiet pro-lifers, people who don’t want to speak in front of a microphone, but just to talk to their family and friends. We need to equip everyone to tell their own story, however it makes sense to them.

One of the biggest obstacles pro-lifers face is that the primary victims of abortion are usually killed. They are rendered not only lifeless but also voiceless. They can’t tell their own story.

That’s why those of us who survive need to tell our own stories. Stories about women who considered abortion but didn’t have one; stories about women who did have an abortion and were harmed by it. Stories about women who were coerced into abortion. Stories about fathers who wanted to protect their children but couldn’t; stories about fathers who are ashamed that they agreed to have their child killed. Stories about grieving grandparents and siblings. Stories about former abortion providers and clinic workers. Stories about children who were at risk of abortion. Stories about children who survived abortion attempts. Stories about people who grew up in poverty or experienced the foster care system or were conceived in rape or have a disability. Abortion advocates often point to children who have a poor quality of life as reasons to support abortion, so people who have experienced those circumstances can be very valuable as storytellers.

But you don’t have to have had an abortion, experienced a crisis pregnancy, or have been at risk of abortion as a baby to have a story worth telling. We all share stories.

Almost everybody who cares enough to tell people that they’re against abortion has some kind of story to explain what motivated them not only to take that stance, but to do something about it. If you’re outspokenly pro-life, people might ask you why you care so much. If you’re pro-life, you have an important story to tell.

Abortion storytelling can be particularly hard for men, because abortion is perceived as a “woman’s choice.” However, men’s stories are important too. They can encourage young men to speak up and protect their child. It’s important for men, and for all different kinds of people, to speak up and tell their stories, because others who relate to your story will perk up and listen.

Personal stories are often much more powerful than biological facts and philosophical arguments. Sometimes, just a casual story can open someone’s eyes and change their mind.

Storytelling is important for public policymaking, for pro-life outreach, and for culture change. In addition, sharing your story can help bring healing to you and your loved ones.

How do I tell a story? How should it be packaged? How do I contact the media? This series will provide answers to these and other questions.

Remember: The other side might be able to counter your arguments, but they can’t outargue your story.