Feminists for Life Vice President Sally Winn spoke last night about the possibility that a person can be both a feminist and be pro-life.

“Pro-life feminism is not an oxymoron,” Winn said. She opened her speech discussing some of the first feminists such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Alice Paul, all of whom are pro-life, Winn said.

Winn quoted Alice Paul, the author of the original Equal Rights Amendment, saying, “Abortion is the ultimate exploitation of women.”

Winn elaborated on this quote by saying the reason many women have abortions is not because they don’t want a baby, but rather because of their current circumstances.

“Most women have an abortion because they believe they lack the financial and emotional support to have a baby alone,” Winn said.

Because of that, Winn said that rather than looking at abortion as a solution, people should work to eliminate the reasons women have abortions in the first place. Regarding lack of financial support, women shouldn’t be worried about having to drop out of school or quit their job if they become pregnant, Winn said. She suggested that instead, schools and workplaces should assist women who are pregnant.

“We are women, we are not men, so get over it. Accommodate us for who we are,” Winn said. “Why should we have to sacrifice our children and violate our bodies to achieve our goals?”

Falcons for Life President Katie Riddle, who was responsible for bringing Winn to the University, said she thought Winn’s message was very powerful.

“It’s not a message you usually hear,” Riddle said. “Students should know that it is possible to be both a feminists and pro-life.”

Riddle added that she hopes this speech causes both pro-life and pro-choice supporters to work together to create other alternatives for pregnant women.

University sophomore, Sara Flynn, thought the speech was especially important for college women to hear since one out of every five abortions is performed on a college student.

“In the end, nothing good comes from abortion,” Flynn said. “What college women really need are other options.”

Winn said that when it comes to college, the universities should make it just as easy to be pregnant and be a student as they do to have an abortion, which includes providing housing for pregnant students, having an on-campus daycare center and covering prenatal costs in student health plans.

“If we work together, we can systematically eliminate the reasons women have abortions in the first place because they deserve better,” Winn said.