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Annabelle Rutledge

Jul 05 2022
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Question for a Pro-life OB/GYN: Next Steps in a Post-Roe America

By | Dobbs, News and Events, YWA | No Comments

Since June 24, 2022, when the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that “the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives,” dangerous lies and misconceptions regarding abortion laws have circulated around social media and in the news.

 

Young Women for America (YWA) is hosting Dr. Bill Lile, a board-certified OB/GYN and pro-life speaker, on Monday, July 11,  to help arm YWA leaders with the truth concerning the overturn of Roe so that they are able to compassionately dispel any lies and encourage women that “pro-life is pro-woman.”

 

This informative event is open to all pro-life activists, young and seasoned alike, who are interested in hearing first-hand from a pro-life medical doctor as we transition our nation to a post-Roe America.

 

Call Details:
Date: Monday, July 11, 2022
Time: 6:00 p.m. EST [5:00 p.m. CST; 4:00 p.m. MST; 3:00 p.m. PST]Register for the call here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. 

 

If you have any questions you’d like asked or a specific viral talking point addressed, email [email protected] 

 

Jun 17 2022
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Here’s Why Fathers Matter on this Father’s Day

By | Defense of Family, News and Events, YWA | No Comments

By Mattie Harris, University of Arkansas PhD student in Education Policy
Young Women for America Ambassador

 

“What did the plumber say to the singer? … He said, ‘You have nice pipes, ma’am.’” This joke falls into the classification of dad jokes, and I’m sure that we’ve all heard our fair share of them. As one father, Joshua Seaman, put it to me, “There’s a certain kind of humor that develops when a man becomes a father.” That is, entering fatherhood may shift one’s perspective in life, and with that, bring an appreciation for a distinct type of humor. As Jason Jacques added, “We call them dad jokes, because dads usually find the joke funny when no one else does.”

 

Fathers contribute much more to society than corny jokes. In fact, when fathers don’t participate in the lives of their children, their absence is sorely felt. Societal shifts in America have created a pandemic of fatherlessness, and research suggests that for children to wholly thrive academically, physically, and emotionally, involved fathers are paramount.

 

Let’s not forget that traditional family values of having a mother and father in the home dovetail with faith values, specifically Judeo-Christian values, which are the values on which our nation was founded. The US historically ranked high in religiosity among other western nations until recent years. Now, the number of faith-based individuals is steadily declining. As religious movements become less important to the public, secular movements gain ground. For instance, Black Lives Matter (BLM), arguably one of the most popular social movements of our time, is recorded as using its platform (prior to 2020) to advocate for the breakdown of the nuclear family. The BLM website stated:

 

“We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and ‘villages’ that collectively care for one another, especially [our] children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.”

 

There are numerous negative outcomes associated with children growing up without a father in the home. Father absence (more than poverty, race, and social class) positively correlates to a slew of negative outcomes for children—behavioral problems, truancy, poor academic performance[1], teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness, exploitation and abuse, physical health problems, mental health disorders, health of future relationships, and mortality among others.

 

Research indicates two important facts regarding fathers. First, absentee fathers are harmful to the academic, economic, and socio-emotional outcomes of their children. Second, an involved father positively impacts his children in numerous ways. Wherefore children with involved fathers are more likely to have higher high school and college graduation rates, lower incarceration rates, fewer occurrences of teenage pregnancies[2], better academic outcomes, and healthier self-confidence as compared to children who grow up without a father in their home.

 

We must view and treat father absence in America as a public health crisis, because on average, one in four children grow up without a father in America. This percentage is far greater for the African American community. That is, nearly one in two black children are fatherless. Why do we have such a shortage of fathers in our country? Tragedies relating to incarceration and death contribute some to this phenomenon, although cultural changes and secularism may provide the strongest explanation surrounding father absenteeism. When culture says that fathers aren’t necessary for children to thrive, then it should be no surprise when children in the mass grow up without fathers.

 

As secular ideologies crowd out religious and traditional faith values, children suffer the consequences. We may not be able to cure father absence overnight, but we can improve this plague by celebrating the successes of good fathering and promoting fatherhood as an honorable status in society. Until secular society is willing to acknowledge and promote the traditional faith values in America, which include the necessity of fatherhood, then we will always suffer from an epidemic of fatherlessness.

 

So, let’s begin today, and never stop, celebrating our fathers!!!

 

Happy Father’s Day, American fathers.

 

[1] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336288140_Fathers’_contributions_to_children’s_social_development

[2] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336288140_Fathers’_contributions_to_children’s_social_development

May 10 2022
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Standing Up for Truth in the College Classroom

By | News and Events, YWA | No Comments

By Alivia Grace Talley, YWA Ambassador and Vice President at Clemson University

Standing up and defending the truth in a college classroom is not easy. In fact, most of the time, it is hard and uncomfortable – especially when you stand alone. Last week I stood up and defended traditional American values in my Shakespeare class and experienced this firsthand. 

To all my truth fighters on college campuses across America, this is for you.

Little did I know what would happen when I walked into my Shakespeare class a few weeks ago. The professor decided to show a video of a performance group in New York performing Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.” In this performance, the actor who was portraying Julius Caesar came on stage dressed as a Donald Trump lookalike, and he was stabbed to death. My professor paused the video and asked for everyone’s thoughts. (Campus Reform published the full story. To read, click here!)

Student after student spoke up in support of the video. I could not believe what was happening in my class. Why was my class watching a video of a former President of our country being mocked and killed in a Shakespeare class? Not only was this video completely irrelevant – but this was absolutely wrong.

How have we come to a point in America where college professors and college students laugh while watching videos of one of our nation’s presidents being stabbed to death in a play?

I decided to speak up and share the truth that this was absolutely wrong. I spoke up in class to defend America and the leaders who have sacrificed and fought to make America the greatest country in the world. I spoke up in class because if we have come to a point in America where we mock and kill a man who held the seat of our nation’s president, what makes America any different from other fallen countries?

When I spoke up in class, classmates chuckled at me, rolled their eyes, and continued to talk in support of the video that portrayed a President being brutally stabbed to death.  

It is heartbreaking to see our education system, at all levels, indoctrinating our future leaders with a radical leftist agenda through school sanctioned curriculum. It is heartbreaking to see the future leaders of this country demean and disrespect a man who gave up so much to protect their freedom.

To all college students reading this: I understand the awkwardness and fear of speaking up in class, especially against something a professor says or does. I also know the reward in speaking up – and the reward far outweighs any hateful comments or reactions we may receive from others. If we do not defend the principles America was founded upon, who will? 

We are at a crucial point in our nation’s history, and it is vital we speak up for truth and justice now more than ever before. While it might be hard and uncomfortable to speak up for truth, it’s a small price to pay for what is at stake. 

When I look back on my college years, I don’t want to be the student who kept my head down and kept silent when something was clearly wrong. I want to be the student who did what was right, despite opposition or hate.

May 07 2022
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A Celebration of Mothers of the Bible

By | News and Events, YWA | No Comments

By Taylor Hunt, Young Women for America Ambassador

As society embraces social justice and attempts to deconstruct the nuclear family and destroy womanhood, the need for Godly mothers is stronger than ever.

While the world screams that it is backward to praise women for becoming moms and true power is in a corporate job, Christian women should delight in the mantle that has been placed in front of them.

The Bible, from beginning to end, paints a rich picture of motherhood, beginning with Eve, the first woman in the Bible whose name translated means “mother of all things.” All throughout the Bible, God paints a beautiful painting of the blessing mothers can be to those around them and the next generations. 

In 1 Kings 3, a beautiful story of sacrificial, maternal love is recorded. In this passage, a dispute between two women who are in disagreement over who was the mother of a specific baby made its way to King Solomon. The king ordered the baby to be sliced in half, with one part going to each woman. One of the women decided this was fair, but the other woman offered to give the baby to the other woman. Solomon thus ruled that the woman who acted to keep the child alive was the real mother and that she should keep the baby. The mom was willing to lay down her own rights to keep her baby alive. She counted her own comforts as nothing, as long as the child had a chance to live.

Not only are mothers in the Bible sacrificial, but they are also courageous and heroic. During Israel’s enslavement in Egypt, a proclamation went out that all baby boys should be killed. But Jochebed, a Hebrew slave, refused to see her son killed. She hid the child for two years, and when he was too old to hide, she crafted a basket made of reeds and floated him down the river with his sister watching. This baby was ultimately rescued from the river by Pharaoh’s daughter and raised as a prince of Egypt. Because of the courage and faith of Jochebed, her son survived; God then used this lowly Hebrew boy to lead his people out of Egypt and became one of Israel’s fathers – a man by the name of Moses.

In the New Testament, Timothy’s faith is credited to the faithful teaching of his grandmother and mother. He went on to become one of the most influential founding fathers of the ancient church. His teachings are still influencing people around the world to come to Christ.

Women in the Bible are credited with raising, leading, training, and influencing leaders with their wisdom. They are revered and honored for the sacrifices they make for their children.

In a world that often mocks moms and celebrates abortion and child-free living, we need moms more than ever. We need women who are courageous. We need women who are willing to fight for the next generation of children and their rights and who want to improve the next generation’s mental health.

Let’s not forget the women who have sacrificed so much and have received so little in return. Let’s celebrate moms and uphold the sanctity of motherhood.

May 04 2022
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Dear Mom, It’d be an Honor to Follow in Your Footsteps

By | News and Events, YWA | No Comments

By Taylor Hunt, Young Women for America Ambassador

“Why do you want to be a mom? You could do so much more.” This is the most common response I get when I tell friends or classmates that my end goal is to be a stay-at-home mom. “It’s a waste of your potential” or “I’ve never known someone to work as hard as you, just to want to be a mom and a stay-at-home mom at that.”

While desiring to be a stay-at-home mom might be strange for my generation, it’s been a dream of mine since I was younger. My mother was and is one of the most influential women in my life, and to follow in her footsteps would be an honor. But in today’s society, this is an abnormality.

The past few generations have not seen motherhood as a job to relish and find honor in but merely as a second-hand job that gets handed to the partner who makes the least amount of money. It is not seen as a job that has real value and long-term implications in your child’s life.

It is no wonder that our current generation is filled with anxiety and depression, and suicide is at an all-time high.[1] More than ever, we need moms to step up and fill those holes in their kids’ lives, but motherhood and the sanctity of motherhood are under attack from all sides in our society.

In July of 2021, the Biden Administration decided that their most pressing issue was changing the word “mother” to the word “birthing person.” In an interview,

Office of Management and Budget deputy director Shalanda Young said, “There are certain people who do not have gender identities that apply to females and males, so we think our language needs to be more inclusive on how we deal with complex issues.”[2]

The problem is, this perspective sums up womanhood as the ability to give birth–that’s it. But womanhood and motherhood mean so much more.

In a world that refuses to acknowledge womanhood and motherhood from a Biblical perspective, the science behind the benefit of moms and, more specifically, stay-at-home moms cannot be denied. Studies by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the Institute of Child Development of the University of Minnesota found that “Children who spend a large amount of their day in daycare experienced higher stress levels and aggression as opposed to those who stayed home.”[3]

In education, studies show that a child will go further and perform better in school if they have at least one parent who stays at home.[4]

Childhood obesity is likely to be lower in families with stay-at-home moms. A study published in Child Development found that “sixth graders with working mothers were found to be six times more likely than those with stay-at-home moms to be overweight.”[5]

The value of moms cannot be overstated, and in the current climate, we need them more than ever to tackle the suicide epidemic, childhood obesity, and the crisis of loneliness.

[1] Chatterjee, Rhitu. “More Children Are Dying by Suicide Recently, Study Shows.” NPR, 27 July 2021, https://www.npr.org/2021/07/27/1021373104/more-children-are-dying-by-suicide-recently-study-shows.

[2] Perkins, Tony. “Biden Administration Uses Term ‘Birthing Person’ Instead of ‘Mother’.” The Daily Signal, 15 June 2021, https://www.dailysignal.com/2021/06/14/biden-administration-uses-term-birthing-person-instead-of-mother/

[3] Fraser-Thill, Rebecca. “The Forms of Social Aggression.” Verywell Family, Verywell Family, 6 June 2021, https://www.verywellfamily.com/social-aggression-3288012.

[4] Duncan, Apryl. “Surprising Facts and Research About Stay-at-Home Moms.” Verywell Family, 3 March 2022, https://www.verywellfamily.com/research-stay-at-home-moms-4047911

[5] Health. “The Longer Mom Works, the More Overweight the Kids.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 7 Dec. 2017, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/childhood-obesity-_n_818385.

 

 

 

 

 

May 02 2022
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Indoctrination in Schools: The Time to Get Involved is Now

By | News and Events, YWA | No Comments

By Avery Severson, YWA Ambassador, White Bear Lake Area High School 

There was a time in this nation’s history when school-sponsored prayer and Bible discussions were common occurrences in the public school system. Now, whether it is schools removing “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance or teaching children racial and sexual propaganda, we have strayed so far from where we used to be. Lately, the curriculum in schools has gotten out of control, whether they are teaching children about “preferred pronouns,” critical race theory, or disrespecting Christianity, we have never seen anything to this extent, and it’s time to stand up.

I am a junior at White Bear Lake Area High School in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. My school has made the news several times during the past few years, and lately, there has been a push for an even more radical curriculum to be taught in classrooms throughout the district. For example, last June, during “Pride Month,” teachers would walk through the hallways wearing pride flags taped to their backs, and they would wear countless shirts with graphics from the Target “Pride Collection.” I remember one student in my class decided to speak up and asked, “When can we have an America Day?” The teacher responded with something along the lines of, “That’s every day; this is pride month, and it’s time to celebrate that.” My question is, when did teachers get to decide what children need to celebrate? 

During this school year, students were working on an assignment and were expected to go from station to station around the classroom where they would learn something new. Station four is where the information crossed the line. There was a poster on the desk labeled, “Station 4: Pronoun Agreement,” where the pronouns listed included, “theirs, zim, their, her, ze, she, his, xe, they, them, xim, hers, xey, him, and he.” Is this what you want to be taught to your children? If pronouns are going to be discussed in this way, it ought to be at home, not in a classroom. Parents in this country send their children to school to learn math and language arts, not to learn about equity and “preferred pronouns.” 

The inappropriate and offensive curriculum does not seem to end. A few weeks ago in a psychology class at White Bear Lake Area High School, coloring sheets were handed out to the class. One of the coloring sheets was an image of a group of animals sitting around the table representing one of the most sacred moments in the Bible, the Last Supper. One student felt called to bring the issue to our school administration. After emailing the school administration and waiting weeks for a response, a school administrator finally informed her that the coloring sheet had been removed and there had been a conversation with the teacher. I just have to wonder if the picture had depicted a religious figure from another religion if these coloring sheets would have ever been printed in the first place.

The reality is schools are more radical than they have ever been, and it’s essential that parents and community members pay attention to what curriculum is being taught and what policies are being passed at school board meetings. As Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Now is the time to get involved and to invest in the next generation of children.

Apr 27 2022
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Christian Women: United in Identity as Daughters of the King

By | News and Events, YWA | No Comments

By Andrea Silvera, YWA Ambassador, North Carolina

Given that April is both Autism Awareness Month and Faith Month, here are some reflections on the moral issues of our day from the perspective of an autistic, Christian woman. I will be focusing on gender identity as it is a pressing issue for women and the autistic community especially.

Among autistic females, one of the main challenges they consistently experience is the societal pressure to conform to traditional gender roles or stereotypes, whether that be in their wardrobe, hobbies, interests, or behavior. There is a growing body of evidence that being autistic increases the likelihood of not identifying with one’s biological sex and therefore buying into the radical left’s push to reject the two biological gender classifications. One explanation for this is that autistics tend not to place as much importance on categorizing people according to certain characteristics, and this includes gender. A study published in 2016 by the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders suggests that the conflict between an autistic and feminine identity could be one potential influence on the elevated rates of gender dysphoria and “non-binary gender identities” among autistic females.

I have personally experienced this, but I have found that God’s design for the sexes (male and female He created them (Genesis 5:2, Matthew 19:4)) is good and true because of the coherence and variety ordained in all His creation.

There is an ancient philosophical problem called “the one and the many,” which considers the relationship between unity (one) and diversity (many).[1] Using cats to illustrate, there is both unity and diversity present because while they all belong to the class of cats, each cat is different from one another. This raised the questions of why there is anything in common between the many cats and why differences among cats exist even though they all fall under the category of cats.

The nature of God can provide insights into this dilemma. As Christians, we believe in a Triune God. He is one God (unity), but also three persons (diversity) in that one God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each one with unique functions. Thus, God gives us that beautiful picture of unity in diversity.

That picture is reflected in His blueprint for human biology. There are only two sexes, equal in value and dignity, as precious creatures made in His image, yet innumerable diversity, and a glorious beauty in our many differences as individuals.

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12, NIV).

It is unfortunate that our society has adopted an unbiblical and unscientific view of sex and “gender.” On the one hand, when a distorted focus is placed on unity among women, it can lead to unnecessarily rigid (extra Biblical) gender stereotypes, which in turn erases the wonderful diversity of God’s creation even among women. On the other hand, redefining womanhood (to the extent that a biological male could belong to the class of women) to foster “diversity” obliterates our unity and what makes us unique as women, distinct from men.

God has already established true unity among women by creating them all as biological females, and yet each different from one another, including, but not limited to, ethnicity, personality, vocation in life, and the gifts that God has bestowed on each of us.

As Christian women, we are also united in our identity in Christ as daughters of the King, and I praise the Lord for such His awesome and perfect design.

[1] Vern S. Poythress, Redeeming Mathematics: A God-Centered Approach. (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2015), 29.

Mar 18 2022
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YWA at NCAA Women’s Division 1 Swimming and Diving Championships

By | News and Events, Women's Sports, YWA | No Comments

Young Women for America (YWA) was your voice on the ground yesterday in Atlanta, Georgia, at Georgia Tech, where a biological male won the 500 free in the NCAA Division 1 WOMEN’S Swimming and Diving Championship.

On the same day, Concerned Women for America filed a formal Civil Rights Complaint under Title IX with the U.S. Department of Education against the University of Pennsylvania for refusing to protect the rights of college female athletes. 

At Georgia Tech, YWA staff, alongside YWA campus leaders from Georgia and Tennessee, cheered on the female athletes competing and showed their support for women’s sports. 

At the Save Women’s Sports press conference, Chloe Satterfield, a student at Georgia Tech, shared from personal experience what it feels like to compete against a biological male in female sports, and that as a Georgia Tech student, it is “so disappointing to see my school enable the NCAA to enforce its dangerous policy. The future of women’s sports is at stake, and I urge the NCAA to rethink its decision, consider the irreversible harm that they inflict on their female athletes because of this policy.”

Macy Petty, an NCAA Division 2 volleyball player at Lee University, spoke from her perspective as a college athlete: “In the rules of volleyball, the men’s net is seven inches higher than the women’s net. This height difference has nothing to do with personality, sexuality, identity, or anything other than biological facts. These seven inches were there for a reason because men are born naturally more athletic, and their sport reflects this.”

Just the day before, Macy testified before the Tennessee House Education Administration Committee on HB 2316, a bill that would prohibit males from participating in public higher education sports that are designated for females. 

Young Women for America will continue to show up for female athletes and boldly advocate that GIRLS’ SPORTS ARE FOR GIRLS ONLY. 

Feb 23 2022
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YWA Leader Testifies on Girls’ Sports Bill

By | News and Events, Women's Sports, YWA | No Comments

On February 15, 2022, Young Woman for America Ambassador Halli Gravley testified before the Kentucky House Standing Committee on Education in support of HB 23, the Save Women’s Sports Act.

As a female athlete from Kentucky and having just finished her senior year swim season the week prior, Halli was able to provide a vital perspective in this discussion. While the ACLU testified against the bill as well as two young elementary-age biological males identifying as females, the most important voice in these debates must be the voice of female athletes.

You can watch Halli’s testimony or read her statement in full here.

The bill passed the House Education Committee, and we are looking forward to the day when the option to protect women’s sports in Kentucky ends up on Gov. Andy Beshear’s (Democrat) desk. Read the Kentucky House Majority Caucus press release that contains quotes from Halli’s testimony.

Feb 08 2022
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To a pro-life college student …

By | News and Events, Sanctity of Life, YWA | No Comments

By Alivia Grace Talley, YWA Ambassador and Vice President at Clemson University

“I don’t think my life is valuable, or any life. Let alone a baby’s life. I just don’t think anyone’s life has value.”

She looked into my eyes as she spoke, and my heart stopped. At that moment, it felt as if everything around me suddenly slowed down. No longer was I just pro-life tabling on my college campus. At this moment, I was talking with a student about the most important truth we should all know – how much worth and value we each have. 

To any pro-abortion student I get to speak with on my campus, I want them to know that all life is valuable – especially their life. 

I have experienced so much from pro-life tabling on my campus. Some students want to stop and talk about the issue of abortion, and others want to stop and yell at me for “telling women what to do with their bodies.” 

It is vital that young women know they are worth so much more than what abortion has to offer. According to the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute, 42% of abortion-minded women are between the ages of 18 and 24. This means women on my campus believe the vicious lies of the abortion industry. 

The abortion industry tells women they cannot graduate from school, have their baby, and have a career. They trick women into believing that the only solution to an unexpected pregnancy is to end the lives of their unborn children. However, we know this is not the truth. Thousands of pregnancy centers, all across America, exist to empower women to graduate, achieve their dreams, and have their babies. 

Through pro-life tabling, I have had the opportunity to see so many hearts and minds change on abortion. One young woman shared with me that she had an abortion in her past, and I was able to provide resources to help her find hope and healing.

Ultimately, women who choose abortion do not know the significant value they have by simply being the daughter of our Heavenly Father. Before the moment you and I were created, each of us was chosen by the Creator of the Heavens and Earth Himself. Our Heavenly Father wanted to spend forever with us so much that He went to the very ends of the earth to call each of us His Sons and Daughters. 1 Peter 2:9 says this about who we are as God’s beloved children: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” Because of this truth, we do not have to question if we are loved, known, or wanted. 

The day a student shared with me that she believed no one’s life had value, my heart broke for her. I told her that she did have worth, and her life had value. She shared with me that I was the first person to tell her that. Now, whenever I speak with pro-abortion students, I always keep that at the front of my mind.  I tell myself, “The young women who are yelling at me just don’t know how much they are worth. The people I know from high school who are walking by this table and laughing at me just don’t know how much they are worth.” 

To any pro-life college student reading this: pray for students on your campus. Talk to students on your campus. Tell them they are chosen and that their life has worth and value. It might be awkward at first or seem different, but as daughters of the Lord, we’re supposed to be different in the world’s eyes. I’ve learned that it really doesn’t matter what others think or say about me because I don’t take that to heaven. I take with me the souls and hearts I help lead to the Lord.

In the fight for life, remember who you are as His beloved daughter. And share that truth with others. As you talk to abortion supporters on your campus, tell them that babies’ lives are valuable, and their lives are, too. 

You’ll be surprised. You never know who God will send onto your path. Right at this very moment, you might be sitting beside someone who just has no idea how valuable and worthy their life is.

Jan 15 2022
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The Left’s Lie to Women: Your value is tied to your body.

By | News and Events, YWA | No Comments

By Taylor Hunt, Young Women for America Ambassador

In recent light of the Texas abortion ban, Roe v. Wade, and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization,[1] the climate surrounding abortion has never been more heated. Women protestors[2] on the steps of the Supreme Court swallowed abortion pills to shock and dismay those around them. Signs that read “I do not regret my abortion” or “Thou shall not steal my repro rights” and “Abortion bans are racist” flooded social media and traditional media.

While these men and women think they are standing up for women in the name of equality, they ignore the underlying message entirely. The common thread in abortion is this: women are told they need to have access to abortion to be equal with men. This sexist and misogynistic argument is antithetical to everything for which feminism originally stood.

These activists who push abortion freedom do not realize that their message tells young women that their only value is of a sexual nature, that they (women) need to have an abortion in order to have consequence-free sex like the men in their lives. Not only does this let men off the hook for the creation of children, but it also makes women feel less for not being able to have sex without the thought of getting pregnant.

But a person’s value is not based on their ability to bear or not bear children, and a woman is not any less of a person than a man because of her ability to bear children. Imagine if we celebrated those who were infertile as now “equal with men.” That would be insane; those women who receive an infertility diagnosis grieve it. It’s an awful situation to desire a child and not physically be able to conceive.

Recent science has come out and stated that it is a diagnosis with a stress level similar to cancer. “The infertile women’s global scores on the psychological questionnaire, as well as their depression and anxiety scores, were equivalent to the cancer patients’ scores[3].”

Those women do not have any more or less value in the world than the women who are able to have children. The world has become so jaded on the topic of pregnancy and abortion that the beauty of pregnancy has been washed over and boiled down to good and bad. But the beauty of pregnancy is unmatched to anything in this world.

It’s scientifically proven that in the case that the mother is hurt or injured during pregnancy, the baby can send stem cells to repair organs and tissue. “They found that fetal stem cells directly targeted the damaged cardiac cells and fully integrated themselves into the mother’s heart.”[4]

Researchers found that as early as 21 weeks, a baby responds to a mother’s touch and voice. Erin Clark, a researcher from Utah State University, states, ”Moms who already talk to or sing to their baby bumps might also want to consider rubbing their bellies to connect with the new family member while they’re waiting to meet him or her.

“Touch can be a part of that,” she says. “It’s one of those ways you can connect with your fetus as early as the 21st week.”[5]

And as Christians, we know that babies respond to the spirit of God.

“And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” John 1:41 

Not only does the baby help protect the mother, but the mother also protects the baby for nine months. Through the four gestational periods, the mother’s body shifts and changes to accommodate the growing child within her body. Her body will shift, her organs will move, and her hair might thicken. Not all parts of pregnancy are wonderful, as morning sickness and gestational diabetes are awful, but it does not take away from the miracle of pregnancy.

As Christians, we need to make sure not to assign value to a woman because she is able to have children. Women throughout history have been celebrated due to their ability to conceive and bear children, and women who can’t are often shamed or stigmatized. A woman’s worth is not in her womb but in who she is as a human.

[1] Law, Hannah U. Brem |. U. Pittsburgh School Of. “Supreme Court Sets Argument Date for Mississippi Abortion Case.” JURIST – News, 21 Sept. 2021, www.jurist.org/news/2021/09/supreme-court-sets-argument-date-for-mississippi-abortion-case.

[2] Cathey, Libby, and Sarah Donaldson. “Thousands Demonstrate at Supreme Court as Justices Consider Historic Abortion Case.” ABC News, 2 Dec. 2021, abcnews.go.com/Politics/thousands-demonstrate-supreme-court-justices-historic-abortion-case/story?id=81478636.

[3] Gallagher, Paula. “An Infertility Diagnosis Can Be As Stressful As A Cancer Diagnosis.” Evie Magazine, 16 Dec. 2021, www.eviemagazine.com/post/an-infertility-diagnosis-can-be-as-stressful-as-a-cancer-diagnosis.

[4] NRL News. “Can an Unborn Baby Really Send Stem Cells to Repair Its Mother’s Organs?” NRL News Today, 12 Dec. 2016, www.nationalrighttolifenews.org/2016/12/can-an-unborn-baby-really-send-stem-cells-to-repair-its-mothers-organs.

[5] “Unborn Babies Respond to Mother’s Touch.” University of Utah Health, 10 July 2015, healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2015/07/071015_cvarticle-unborn-baby-touch.php.

 

 

Sep 02 2021
0

YWA September Leader’s Call with Rep. Chip Roy

By | Education, News and Events, Religious Liberty, Sanctity of Life, YWA | No Comments

Rep. Chip Roy (Republican) serves the 21st District of Texas. At the end of July, Rep. Roy introduced the Protecting Life on College Campus Act of 2021 alongside Sen. Steve Daines (R-Montana) and Rep. Mary Miller (R-Illinois).

The Protecting Life on College Campus Act of 2021 would prohibit the federal government from funding “any institution of higher education that hosts or is affiliated with any school-based service site that provides abortion drugs or abortions to students of the institution or to employees of the institution or site.”

We are grateful to Rep. Roy for taking a firm stand for life and excited to have him join our YWA Leader’s Call on September 13.

Date: Monday, September 13
Time: 5:30 p.m. Eastern (4:30 p.m. Central; 3:30 p.m. Mountain; 2:30 p.m. Pacific)
Register here, and please feel free to share the link with like-minded friends and family! An email with the link for the call and information will follow upon registration.

Best,
Annabelle Rutledge
National Director, Young Women for America

Aug 25 2021
0

Statement for the Afghan Women and Girls Rally

By | Feminist / Women's Issues, News and Events, Sanctity of Life, YWA | No Comments

I saw a video posted by the New York Times of an Afghan woman named Crystal Bayat. On August 19th she helped organize a protest to celebrate Afghanistan independence. At great risk to her life, she and six other women marched through the streets of Afghanistan raising their country’s flag in defiance of the Taliban. She grew up in the freedom Afghanistan has experienced these last twenty years. This month was her first time ever coming face to face with the Taliban. They told her she had twenty days of freedom. Her response was, “Til they shoot me, I will strive, and I will seek my goals. I will not let them deprive me of my fundamental rights. I’m raising the voice of a million women.”

It brought me to tears. In Crystal, I see the same spirit of our Young Women for America leaders. As the Director of Young Women for America, I have the privilege and honor of working with young women across this country, from high schoolers to young professionals, who have this same bold spirit. They are strong, kind, smart, motivated, Christ-honoring individuals in diverse career paths who are using their gifts and talents to impact the world. I’m amazed at how they spend their time and the ways they are impacting their communities even now. As I consider their paths with endless opportunities in front of them, I can’t help but contrast it with the plight of women in Afghanistan at this moment. We must acknowledge what is happening to women in Afghanistan now and what we know will only continue to get worse. There is no future in the public square for women under Sharia law. They cannot safely leave their homes; they cannot leave their homes at all unless they have permission from men; their bodies must be covered head to toe; they cannot hold any positions of power; they cannot have jobs; they cannot drive. Images of women are being removed from public places. They are being beaten in the streets. Women in Afghanistan face a future of subjugation, rape, persecution, and even stonings. Women are dying and will continue to die.

The feminists are silent, but we will not be. At this very moment, across the country, Young Women for America leaders are joining you in prayer. From California to Pennsylvania and Alabama and beyond, YWA leaders are gathering their chapter members and friends or bowing their heads privately to come before the throne of God in unity. We can’t physically show up in Afghanistan, but right now, we are putting on the armor of God and engaging in spiritual battle. We are going to war against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places on behalf of our Afghan sisters.

And we trust in our God. We serve an awesome, all-powerful, all knowing, loving, and present God. He is among us. He hears us.

Aug 19 2021
0

You’re Guilty: Reparations in Light of Redemption

By | News and Events, YWA | No Comments

By Britton Miller, YWA Ambassador at Liberty University

In June, the United Nations Human Rights Council published a report[1] concerning the necessity of responding to the issue of racial injustice. Detailing a proposal to resolve such abuses of human rights, the report called for reparations on behalf of those affected by deliberate discrimination. As cultural institutions demand reparations and retribution on behalf of history, the widespread victims of injustice seem to endlessly increase in count. Whether some member of an individual’s family tree participated in the inexcusable horror of slavery or the relocation of indigenous people, the culture will, case by case, affirm the marred past of society’s oppressors and the necessity of reparations. Even those apparently blameless or significantly applauded by the media fall short of innocence: Vice President Kamala Harris’ Brahmin ancestors[2] historically oppressed the Dalits, the lowest members of Indian society. According to this movement, the only fathomable way to right the scaring injustices of the past is to offer extravagant services and privileges to those wronged and, in doing so, deny self-respect in shame. The mantra reads: the debt incurred is unforgivable; yet, people must embrace responsibility and bear retribution. The present must be held accountable for the past. As this message gains traction, the stories of oppressed multitudes resurface, echoing the reminder that none are free from some history of oppression or innocent of association with injustice practices. All owe retribution. For a cause so progressive and emphatically collective, it rings of the core of human nature: None are without fault. The Truth is that the more society exposes the oppressed and identifies the oppressor, the more it will come to light that all are … fallen. Woven into the course of history is a simple fact written in the Book of Life[3], “There is no one righteous, not even one.” What nation, culture, or family escapes the train of oppression? Unearthed again by a societal agenda, the devastating predicament of all people looms in the light.

However, beyond the cry for reparations and retribution arises an answer. No human extravagant act of self-denial or honor could ever atone for the occurrences of injustice marked across time. People cannot wholly make right the past or place an adequate balm upon insurmountable wounds. When the weight of all of humanities’ atrocities is measured, no retribution suffices. Only, a perfect Deity could ever atone for all the sins of humanity, assuage the pain of the suffering, and clear the guilt incurred by society – and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Even when the masses demand what some may deem an impossibility, the reality of humanity glimmers through their darkened mentality. Do we deserve retribution? Most definitely. Could human reparations ever satisfy the injustice of centuries? Only wishfully. Yet, the Just One bore our retribution and made reparations on our behalf through bodily absorbing oppression. And, we stood once again – the oppressors. Try as we might, all attempts at reparation will be insufficient and futile in atoning for humanity’s past. Even so, this anthem of atonement reveals a Truth society longs to forget … only the Lord Jesus Christ could ever rescue and redeem both the oppressor and the oppressed. A human rights council’s aim to resolve societal issues may originate from admirable intentions, but human reparations and retribution for some only reiterate the desperate need for reconciliation with the Father for all.

[1] United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner. (2021) Report: Agenda Towards Transformative Change for Racial Justice and Equality. <https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G21/122/03/PDF/G2112203.pdf?OpenElement>

[2] Mason, Melanie and Shashank Bengal. (2019, October 25.) The Progressive Indian Grandfather who Inspired Kamala Harris. Retrieved August 5, 2021, from <https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2019-10-25/how-kamala-harris-indian-family-shaped-her-political-career>

[3] The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

 

Jul 02 2021
0

YWA July Leader’s Call with Rep. Kat Cammack

By | News and Events, YWA | No Comments

Young Women for America invites you to join our Zoom call with Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Florida), who serves Florida’s 3rd Congressional District. As the youngest Republican woman, she has great insight into what it means to be a strong conservative female voice in Congress.

Serving on the Congressional Women’s Caucus, Law Enforcement Caucus, Campus Free Speech Caucus, and Pro-Life Caucus, Rep. Cammack holds many of the same values and is joining our YWA Leader’s Call to chat with us about the work she is doing.

Date: Monday, July 12
Time: 5:30 p.m. Eastern (4:30 p.m. Central; 3:30 p.m. Mountain; 2:30 p.m. Pacific)
Register here, and please feel free to share the link with like-minded friends and family! An email with the link for the call and information will follow upon registration.

Best,
Annabelle Rutledge
National Director, Young Women for America

Jun 11 2021
0

CWA Court Update This Monday

By | Dobbs, News and Events, YWA | No Comments

Young Women for America invites you…

There’s been a lot of buzz around the fact that the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has decided to hear oral arguments this coming fall in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a Mississippi law that puts strict limits on abortions after 15 weeks. Learn what all the buzz is about from Mario Diaz, Esq., Concerned Women for America’s General Counsel, who is joining us on our June YWA leader’s call.

Mario will also discuss the latest opinions handed down by the Supreme Court this June when the last Supreme Court decisions are made from the current term. This is traditionally a month that will find groups like CWA/YWA outside the Supreme Court rallying. This term, we await an important religious liberty case called Fulton v. Philadelphia, having to do with adoption and foster care agencies. Don’t miss the call to learn more about all things SCOTUS!

Date: Monday, June 14
Time: 5:30 p.m. Eastern (4:30 p.m. Central; 3:30 p.m. Mountain; 2:30 p.m. Pacific)
Register: Register here. Please share the link with other likeminded friends and family. An email with the link for the call and other information will follow upon registration.

May 05 2021
0

A Conversation with CWA’s VP of International Relations

By | News and Events, YWA | No Comments

Join Young Women for America via Zoom for an interview and conversation with CWA’s newest team member, Neydy Casillas, Esq.

Neydy is serving as CWA’s Vice President of International Affairs and comes to us with a wealth of experience. Neydy graduated in 2002 from the Panamerican University of Guadalajara, Mexico with her law degree. Neydy’s expertise is in protecting life and family through challenging the misuse of international law, but she has truly done it all.

The work Neydy has done from advising public policy in Mexico to working at the UN and most recently as Senior Legal Counsel at ADF International, is too much to cover in a simple bio so join us via Zoom next Monday to hear about her work firsthand.

Here are the details:
Date: Monday, May 10
Time: 5:30 p.m. Eastern (4:30 p.m. Central; 3:30 p.m. Mountain; 2:30 p.m. Pacific)
Register here. An email with the link and information will follow registration.

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