Women’s History Month is a special time to celebrate the spirit of resilience, compassion and determination that defines what it means to be a woman. And to honor and celebrate the accomplishments and challenges that women have faced and overcome for centuries. The trailblazers, the pioneers, the leaders, and the innovators. One of the greatest privileges of being a woman is the role of motherhood, and women leaders in the pro-life movement aim to empower mothers everywhere.
Nowadays, that goal can seem impossible what with the narrative being pushed by mainstream media that a woman’s right to choose abortion is essential to women’s health. The overturning of Roe v. Wade has sparked outrage from those who consider abortion to be healthcare.
But there are several strong women showing that supporting pregnant women and their babies is pro-woman. These women come from several walks of life and have their own personal stories that motivate them to the meaningful work of the pro-life movement. We are so grateful for each of these women using their stories, resources, and platforms to not only be pro-life, but also pro-love.
Here are eight women pro-life leaders:
Ashley Bratcher
Ashley Bratcher is an actress who has made her stance for women and babies clear from the beginning. Her first starring role was as the lead in Unplanned, a movie about a former Planned Parenthood worker whose worldview changed when she realized the seriousness of abortion. Bratcher has since used her platform to speak on the importance of protecting babies and supporting expecting mothers. She served as our Save the Storks ambassador at this year’s March for Life and is not afraid to speak about her views even as a celebrity.
Amy Ford
Amy Ford is the co-founder and president of Embrace Grace, a nonprofit that not only is “Pro-Life, but Pro-Love.” Her foundation of faith spurs her on to equip and inspire the church to take care of pregnant women. Her own unplanned pregnancy had her considering an abortion, but she ultimately decided to keep her baby. This experience gave her further empathy for women who need support during and after pregnancy. The idea for Embrace Grace started by helping three pregnant women and throwing a baby shower for them. The work expanded exponentially as the organization now works with more than 700 churches in most of the United States and also has an international reach to let women know they are loved. Ford’s dedication and authenticity make her worthy to celebrate as one of the great women pro-life leaders.
Christina Marie Bennett
Christina Marie Bennett would not be here today if her mother decided to go through with the abortion that she was considering. Instead, her mother drew strength from words spoken to her by a janitor to walk out of the clinic and raise her daughter, who blossomed into a pro-life advocate and prayer warrior. Bennett has worked for pregnancy resource centers, Live Action News and the Family Institute of Connecticut. She has more than 20,000 followers on her @blackprolifewoman Instagram page where she celebrates her own family and story of adopting a child.
Astrid Bennett Gutierrez
Astrid Bennett Gutierrez is a pro-life leader and host on television network EWTN who speaks about issues facing expectant mothers. She calls out the hypocrisy of Catholic organizations who involve Planned Parenthood or other abortion clinics in their work. She is a Los Angeles native and gave up her dream of a teaching career with vacations in Europe to serve her community as Executive Director of Los Angeles Pregnancy Services and President of The VIDA Initiative. Her heart is to empower women to keep their babies and train leaders to rise up and end abortion.
Lauren McAfee
Lauren McAfee is an influencer and researcher who has helped spread a positive narrative around pregnancy and the unborn. She has written several books drawing women into a deeper relationship with God. In 2019, Lauren and her husband, Michael, adopted their daughter, Zion, from China when she was an infant. Much of her social media chronicles her journey as a mother. We are grateful to honor her kindness and hopefulness as one of the many women pro-life leaders.
Annie Tang Humphrey
Annie Tang Humphrey is our amazing COO at Save The Storks. She left a career of 20 years to join the team because of her heart for women. She’s inspired by her mother, who raised her and her sister by herself and always told them that they were enough despite what society said. Her own painful story of choosing abortion because of the shame she thought an unplanned pregnancy would bring drives her to let other women know that there is healing for those who have chosen to terminate their pregnancies and that there are other options for those who are pregnant but don’t know where to turn.
Lila Rose
Lila Rose has been a champion for life since she was 15 years old. She founded Live Action, a nonprofit advocating for women to keep their babies through thought-provoking digital content. The org also provides support and resources for expecting mothers. Her bold undercover investigations into Planned Parenthood have raised eyebrows and she publicly shared her own pregnancy journey in 2019, celebrating the first time she heard her son’s heartbeat to her more than 200,000 followers. While Rose has received criticism for her tactics in spreading the pro-life message, she has never wavered on her stance to protect the unborn.
Cherilyn Holloway
Cherilyn Holloway is the founder and President of Pro-Black Pro-Life. When Cherilyn began her career in pro-life ministry she discovered the staggering abortion rates in the Black community. This catapulted her into a journey in discovering the major gap between the pro-life and Black communities in America. Cherilyn bridges this gap now by engaging in life affirming conversations with the Black and pro-life community through her non-profit. Cherilyn has been featured on major news networks, magazines, and documentaries sharing her story and bringing perspective to transform thoughts. Her passion lies in equipping the Black community with truth and hope to inspire change from within.
