How can we foster transgender & non-binary inclusion in our pro-life activism?
Today, on International Non-Binary People’s Day (July 14th), we must remember that preborn liberation and transgender, non-binary, and gender-expansive liberation are bound together. Overcoming the extra barriers associated with being pregnant as a trans person is just as important for advancing preborn safety and care as any other aid we extend to pregnant and parenting people.
The links embedded in this blog post provide helpful information and context, and we would like to encourage you to look through them in order to learn more about transgender & non-binary people’s experiences.
Why is this important for pro-life people?
With organizations like Planned Parenthood celebrating pride and providing gender-affirming care while also being the face of the abortion industry, and pockets in the mainstream pro-life movement being vocal against the self-determination of gay and trans people, it’s no wonder why members of the LGBTQ+ community often feel the need to support abortion.
Additionally, there is very little gender-inclusive community care available for pregnant transgender individuals, which leads many trans and non-binary parents to turn to abortion. The pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute reported in 2023 that “As Many as 16% of People Having Abortions Do Not Identify as Heterosexual Women.” The results of a survey of transgender & non-binary people published in 2020 state that of 1694 survey respondents, 210 of them have experienced pregnancy, and of those 210 respondents (many of whom have been pregnant multiple times), 21% of all their pregnancies ended in abortion. A separate survey of post-abortive people with 1553 respondents showed that 2.7% of them self-identified their gender as being something other than “woman.”
If we truly wish to protect the lives of all preborn individuals, we must also care for the lives of all pregnant and parenting people, regardless of gender identity or gender expression.
Supporting Transgender “Seahorse” Parents
When a transgender man or non-binary person becomes pregnant, many of the physiological changes which occur in pregnancy can heighten the effects of gender dysphoria. Additionally, for transgender people who “pass” as cisgender men, pregnancy may put them at a higher risk of being targeted with anti-trans hate and discrimination. As reported in NPR in reference to a study published by ACOG, pregnant transgender men “said they were often greeted with double-takes, suspicion and even hostility from strangers and health care providers.”
When organizing mutual aid and other community care events, it is crucial to implement gender inclusivity. Instead of ignoring or denying the negative experiences of transgender pregnant and parenting people, we must provide these parents with care and resources which are both life-affirming and gender-affirming. This is an opportunity to build bridges and empathy, because we all want to save babies.
Affirming Non-Binary Parents’ Identities
Many pregnant and parenting people do not wish to refer to themselves or have others refer to them as “Mom” or “Dad”. An article regarding a long-running data collection project shows a lot of diversity and creativity in what children call their non-binary parents. Asking pregnant and parenting non-binary people what their children refer to them as can be very helpful in making all parents feel included in shared spaces. Some common alternatives to “Mom” or “Dad” can include “Ren” or “Baba”, but it’s important to ask parents what they prefer.
In addition to showing respect non-binary pregnant and parenting people, it can be helpful also to help non-binary pregnant people find pregnancy care resources that are gender-inclusive. An example given in a web article published for Family Equality is calling yoga studios to ask whether or not their prenatal classes are inclusive for non-binary people.
A Call to Action
Read our feminism stance page to learn more about queer feminism and whole-life reproductive justice
Watch our Sidewalk Counseling 101 to learn how you can implement inclusivity in your pro-life work
Read about transgender experiences and liberation — some book recommendations include:
There Are Trans People Here by H. Melt
Queering Anarchism by C.B. Daring, J. Rogue, Deric Shannon, and Abbey Volcano