“If abortion is so empowering, why does the culture have to disguise it to make it seem more appealing to society. They use talking points and euphemisms to deceive… ‘a woman’s right to choose, her reproductive rights, or exercising her bodily autonomy.’ Why can’t they just call it what it is?” These were some of the remarks in a speech given by Anna Young, winner of the recent Tennessee Right to Life Pro-Life Oratory Contest for high school students.
Anna, a high school senior, represented Williamson and Davidson Counties. After seeing a post from the largest abortion provider in the nation in her social media feed, Anna questioned whether or not having an abortion was truly empowering women as the post indicated. So she decided to find out for herself. She and a friend spent a day outside a local abortion facility last spring, and Anna was shocked at what she saw. “(The parking lot was surrounded with) an 8 foot tall privacy fence with blue plastic covering the slats. I couldn’t help but wonder, ‘If Planned Parenthood was truly empowering women from the moment they walked in, why didn’t they want us to see? What were they trying to hide?”
Other finalists in the state contest were Hannah Meier, a sophomore representing Rutherford County, who explained ways to help end abortion; Violet Thorne, a senior from Wilson County, who carefully outlined the differences in being anti-abortion or pro-life; Lindsay White, a sophomore representing Lawrence County, who described the situation when her own mother was pressured to have an abortion when her baby was diagnosed with a serious tumor while in the womb; and Isabelle Saunders, a freshman from Shelby County, who explained the inhumanity of infanticide.
Later this summer, Anna will represent Tennessee at the National Right to Life Jane B. Thompson Oratory Contest to be held during the National Right to Life Convention in Herndon, VA just outside of Washington DC.
“These students were impressive! I was so proud to see such amazing young people as they shared their impassioned speeches” exclaimed Frances Arthur, oratory contest chairman. “I hope that each of the county winners will be given local opportunities to share their speeches again. These are our future leaders, and it is our responsibility to support them in their endeavors.”
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