Last Saturday, Sept. 6, marked the annual orgs fair at Wellesley. As people flocked from table to table on Sev Green, I noticed students giving a wide berth to one specific organization: Wellesley for Life (WFL). It was not the first time I had seen them. WFL manifests itself like clockwork each year, and each year, without fail, first-year students are shocked and returning students avoid them like the plague. After all, out of all Seven Sisters colleges, Wellesley is the only one that seems to have an active pro-life organization.
Such an anomaly leads one to wonder what purpose such a club serves at Wellesley. One of WFL’s supposed goals is to facilitate conversations around reproductive healthcare, with the implied goal of changing students’ minds on abortion as a right. In accordance with their goal, they have attempted to invite pro-life speakers to campus multiple times. Every time they do so, I overhear peers incredulously wondering why such a speaker is allowed on campus and why a pro-life club exists at Wellesley in the first place.
Many of these students, some of whom I’ve spoken with, feel uncomfortable with having a pro-life organization on campus, especially since Wellesley is a preeminent historically women’s college (HWC). WFL and similar organizations are based on anti-abortion stances, which echo that of many individuals who seek to weaponize the lack of abortion as a way to control women and limit their access to healthcare. To an HWC championing principles of gender equality and social activism, these stances directly contradict the majority of students’ values. As a campus filled with thousands of women, especially those of color who have historically been mistreated by the medical community, Wellesley’s student body is disturbed by those who threaten their access to the life-saving care that is abortion.
Some may argue that discomfort is indicative of a campus environment open and willing to facilitate healthy conversations around hot political topics. In fact, a glance at the org’s website informs readers that they aim to “create a space for students who are pro-life to express their viewpoints which they may otherwise feel uncomfortable to share on campus[;] however, [they] welcome students of all stances on the abortion debate.” Actually, as seen by the shock of students at the past few orgs fairs, the mere existence of WFL does incite intense discussion.
The only thing is that these discussions are neither healthy nor productive. One example is the existence of the WFL Facebook page. On it, fierce debates ensue between club members and other Wellesley students. After scrolling through these debates, it is evident that there is no middle ground, and pro-choice students have not changed their minds despite opportunities for discussion. This, however, should not come as a surprise when keeping in mind the College’s foundational and current values.
Instead, it results in an even more divided student body, which is a trickle-down effect of greater political polarization across the nation. What contributes greatly to this is the adoption of a mindset by WFL where members view themselves as a persecuted minority. This effectively creates an “us versus them” mentality, which sets the groundwork for unproductive and defensive argumentation from the get-go.
This being said, the one tenet WFL holds dear that may resonate with any Wellesley student is quality women’s healthcare. If this organization is to have any positive influence or impact on this campus and our student body, the only way forward for them is to reorganize this tenet. Of course, that would challenge their core belief that abortion and access to abortion are not crucial to women’s health. To that end, their options are to either ignore abortion and focus on other ways to contribute positively to providing access to quality healthcare for women, or they can do the work of educating themselves on just how essential abortion is to saving and protecting women’s lives.
Contact the editors responsible for this story: Caitlin Donovan, Avery Finley
