Growing up in an evangelical home and church, I learned from an early age that abortion was murder and should be banned. It was only as a young adult that I encountered arguments that challenged the anti-abortion views I had so long internalized.

I’ve decided to collect together all of the arguments I grew up hearing against abortion, and any additional arguments I can find, and post them for discussion and refutation. My hope is that collecting together responses to these arguments will be useful not only for me but also for other readers who have made or are in the process of making a similar transition.

Anti-Abortion Arguments:

1. A zygote/embryo/fetus is a person

2. Abortion is murder

3. Abortion is cruel

4. Shouldn’t we err on the safe side?

5. No abortion after fetal viability

6. The Bible condemns abortion

7. Abortion is bad for women’s physical and mental health

8. The abortion industry preys on women

9. Women are coerced into having abortions 

10. Abortion makes it harder for women to say “no” to sex

11. Abortion devalues women and motherhood

12. Dead fetuses are put in various medical and consumer products

13. Shouldn’t the father get a choice?

14. Abortion allows people to avoid responsibility

15. People will use abortion as birth control

16. Lots of childless couples would love to adopt

17. Abortion is sexist

18. Abortion is racist

19. Abortion is ableist

20. Abortion leads to the commodification of humanity

21. Elective abortion ends society’s responsibility for children

22. Abortion provides the illusion of choice

23. The consciousness and dependency slippery slope

24. A future like ours

25. Shouldn’t we be hesitant about ending any form of life?

26. Why does this matter?