Maxine, the pseudonym of a woman aged 58, is one of a large number of Americans who are morally against abortion.
Maxine, a Republican, Christian, and grandmother, “can’t imagine that anyone could honestly claim that life does not begin at conception.” For me, it’s either life or not. Abortion was “murder,” Maxine told me.
Maxine also drove a friend to an abortion clinic.
Maxine and I met in May 2019 when I was leading a study on how people feel and think about abortion.
Maxine says that although her friend’s circumstances and her character were not perfect, she still deserved help.
Maxine stated, “[S]eening how [my] friend was raised and the things that happened to her gave me a more unbiased viewpoint. I still believe [abortion] is wrong but I wouldn’t tell anyone ‘You’ve done wrong’ or condemn them.”
Few Americans are able to obtain an abortion without assistance due to the costs and logistics involved. Most abortion seekers, of whom are mothers and many with small children, seek help from friends and family.
My Research, in collaboration with Social Demographer Sarah K. Cowan, shows that many Americans are willing to assist a friend or a family member to get an abortion, even those who are morally against it.
Abortion: the personal side
My research team conducted confidential face-to-face interviews with hundreds of Americans across the United States in order to learn more about abortion views beyond what is revealed by surveys. We sent letters to randomly selected U.S. citizens, inviting them to participate in a study on a “social problem.” From the 700 or so who filled out a demographic questionnaire online, 217 were selected for 75-minute in-depth interviews. Our sample closely reflects the overall population of the U.S.
The 2018 General Social Survey is a nationally representative study conducted since 1972 by the National Opinion Research Center, University of Chicago. Showed that even Americans who are morally against abortion will give “emotional” support to a family member or friend who decides to have an abortion. Another 43% of Americans would assist in making arrangements, and another 28% would pay for the associated costs. Six percent of respondents would pay for abortions.
These findings are noteworthy in light of legislation that was passed by the Texas legislature, allowing citizens to sue any person who assists a woman in obtaining an abortion six weeks after conception.
While federal and state are debating the legal status of abortion, the issue is more personal to ordinary Americans. A quarter of U.S. women will have an abortion before the age of 45. Three-quarters of the thousands of Americans that my team and I interviewed personally knew someone who had an abortion.
Help despite moral opposition
Confidentially talking with Americans who are morally opposed but willing to assist a loved one in getting an abortion has helped us better understand this seemingly contradictory behavior. Our team discovered three major explanations through our interviews.
First is “commiseratio,” which is expressing empathy for imperfect family members in a poor society. Second, the “exemption” allowed only for their closest loved ones to benefit. Third, discretion, considering friends and family to be capable of making moral decisions on their own.
All three options allowed Americans who were otherwise against abortion to keep their values, in this case, their moral opposition to the practice of abortion, while still exercising what they considered to be an obligation to support someone close to them.
You might ask if this is hypocrisy.
Our Research indicates otherwise: requests for assistance from family and friends activate multiple and potentially conflicting values.
Maxine and many other Americans are in this situation. They oppose abortion while also committing to helping a family member who is in need. This tendency to help someone who is in need but does not share the same values as you can be called “discordant generosity” by my co-authors.
The fact that there are Americans who do not support abortion rights among those who “help” them blurs the distinction between those who do. This also makes it difficult for many to understand how ordinary Americans actually put their values into practice when it comes to abortion.
Interviewees who shared their abortion experiences with us said that 10% of them were also “morally against” abortion. A further 50% of respondents said abortion’s morality depends on a variety of factors, including a person’s beliefs, their abortion history, and their reasons for doing so.
The reasons they gave for wanting an abortion were varied. Some felt pressured. Some were unsure of what to do. Some didn’t know what to do.
Americans often offer caveats, exceptions, and qualifications to their legal opinions about abortion. Gallup polling over decades shows that the majority of Americans support legality under “certain” conditions. Our interviews revealed that the level of support for abortion varied depending on factors such as when it occurs in pregnancy, health risks, abortions performed, and even whether or not the person seeking abortion is personally known.
In other words, Americans were often confused, complex, and uncertain about abortion and their behavior toward others.
Crossroads Help
Maxine, like many Americans we spoke to, was offended by the shorthand label “pro-life” as well as the extreme rhetoric of more radical sides. Maxine warned against making judgments until she had walked in the shoes of someone else.
Legislation targeting “helpers,” such as those who are willing to lend assistance to a family member or friend seeking an abortion, reaches a much wider audience than policymakers might anticipate. A lawsuit could deter friends and relatives from being as generous.
Maxine’s willingness to support someone she loves, along with many of her morally opposing American counterparts, might persist alongside other deeply held values.
