By Haley Morrison | Contributor
Donald Trump has appealed to many U.S. citizens for his pro-life stance.
“As far as Planned Parenthood is concerned, I am pro-life,” said Trump in February in Huston at the 10th GOP debate.
Trump may have raised concerns among supporters when stating that he supports abortions in three situations – life of the mother, incest and rape. Trump made this statement in an interview with Bloomberg News’ Mark Halperin in January 2015.
However, fears were assuaged after the Oct. 19 presidential debate. To further a pro-life agenda, Trump has promised to nominate pro-life Supreme Court judges in the hopes of allowing states to deal with the legalities of abortion, rather than the federal government.
“If they overturn it, it would go back to the states,” Trump said at the debate. “If we put another two or three justices on, that’s what will happen, and it will happen automatically, in my opinion, because I am putting pro-life justices on the court.”
Trump’s pro-life platform puts him in juxtaposition to his opponent Hillary Clinton, who has identified herself as pro-choice. For some Baylor students, this was a reason to vote for Trump.
“I think Donald Trump will be a better candidate because his policies are more in line with the pro-life movement, although I honestly can’t say that I am thrilled,” Dallas senior Jacqui McCleneghen said. “I don’t think he will worsen the situation for the pro-life movement, but I don’t see him making any major changes in American society that will improve the state of the pro-life movement. I think the benefit of a Trump presidency is that he will foster an environment where politicians and citizens can make progress with the pro-life movement.”
Other students fear that Trump’s presidency will set back the pro-choice movement and what it has worked for.
“Donald Trump will be bad for the pro-choice movement because he has made it clear that the government should not fund Planned Parenthood,” Dallas junior Pablo Gonzales said. “This will take away from the accessibility of family planning resources for all women, and he will prohibit women from having options when they are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant.”
Trump’s lead throughout Tuesday evening left some women voters feeling estranged.
“I think every woman here today has cried already because whether you like [Hillary Clinton] or not, this is a big day for women,” said Mary Duty, McLennan County Democratic chair at the Democratic watch party held Tuesday evening in Waco.
