190: Why Abortion Became Political

Abortion, by all pollster accounts, seems to be one of – if not THE most – hot-button issues for the upcoming midterm elections in 2022. That’s why we thought it was so important for us to dive into why and when abortion became so political - because yes, we can point to a specific political strategy that linked the pro-life movement with the Republican party, and how that is playing out today in extreme ways. Get ready to connect the dots.

What to listen for:

How recently - in the 1970s - evangelical organizations and Republicans did NOT oppose abortion
The long-game strategy tying opposition to desegregation with abortion as the unifying issue for conservative Republicans
Why certain political figures (especially Reagan) changed their stance on abortion due to not only a desire for power but also due to underlying racism
That looking away means no change - which means, a very large number of American women will have a much harder time getting access to abortion. Abortion is definitely on the ballot this year, along with racism - they are intricately linked and have been so for centuries in this country. So vote. Tell everyone you know.

For more, go buy our book, Dear White Women: Let’s Get (Un)comfortable Talking About Racism, and make sure you’re following this podcast for more!

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