Kristin Turner describes herself as a liberal college student and up until last year, she considered herself a feminist and a pro-choicer. She even used to think the pro-life position was sexist.

But she changed her mind on abortion and is now the leader of a Students for Life group at Shasta College in California, a group she started.

Turner said that when she was in high school she did not really know what abortion was, but felt that as a woman she should be pro-choice.

Last year, she wanted to know more about the pro-life position so that she could better defend her pro-choice arguments. In order to do this, she started watching different Youtube videos from pro-lifers about the abortion debate and watching Students for Life videos, such as our explainer videos on Planned Parenthood. She also started engaging more in constructive social media arguments with pro-lifers.

Interestingly, what started to change her mind was a human rights and emotional argument. Turner said that as someone who is still liberal on other issues, the argument from an emotional and human rights angle appealed to her. She said that pro-lifers were saying that abortion oppresses women and harms families and communities; as a liberal concerned about social justice issues, she wanted to hear more about how abortion worked was antithetical to social justice.

In November 2019, she messaged Students for Life of America’s Instagram page, asking for more information on starting a group and was quickly connected to Students for Life staff.

Since starting her Students for Life group, Turner has been busy advocating for an end to abortion. Her group plans to get involved with sidewalk counseling and praying outside of abortion facilities and working with our Pregnant on Campus Initiative to ensure Shasta College is supporting pregnant and parenting students.  Her club is also working on a comprehensive resource guide for local women.  It includes info on local federally-qualified health centers, national organizations that help abortion-minded women, abortion pill reversal, and info about local and national pregnancy resources.

They recently participated in their club’s activities fair, using the opportunity to sign up new members.

Nichole Bentz, the Students for Life of America Regional Coordinator for Northern California said, “We are glad to have Kristin as a group leader and we’re glad she is now part of the pro-life movement.  The pro-life generation is made up of people with various political and religious beliefs, and they come from all types of backgrounds. The pro-life generation is stronger because we are focused on abolishing abortion and we accept anyone who wants to join us in abolishing abortion.”