The Hillary Problem: a pro-life Catholic feminist struggles with what to tell her daughters

From Laura Hanby Hudgens at Patheos: 

A few weeks ago when Hillary Clinton became the first woman to be nominated to run for President of the United States, I found myself struggling with how to talk to my girls about this historic moment.

On the one hand, I wanted to shout and clap and cheer with the countless other women across the country and across the world who see Clinton’s nomination as a victory in the struggle for gender equality. I wanted to feel proud as the former first lady of my home state talked about unity,  progress, the potential of every American, and love over hate. I wanted to rejoice with my daughters about empowerment and equality and the rights and the dignity of every single human being.

But I couldn’t.

I couldn’t tell my daughters that this was a proud moment for us as women and as Americans because I did not feel proud. I felt cheated. As the first woman to be nominated for President of the United States, Hillary Clinton’s candidacy should represent a victory for human rights. But in fact, it represents the continued and even gleeful trampling on the rights of the unborn.

As a Catholic and a pro-life feminist, I believe in equality for women and in the empowerment of women. I also believe in the dignity of all human life and that we have a sacred obligation to protect and honor life. The pro-choice position is that one life trumps another. No matter how historic it is to see a woman nominated for president, I cannot muster enthusiasm for a candidate who sees any human life as expendable.

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