Sarah Gangl
Amid the chaotic COVID-19 pandemic, it has been easy to lose sight of a societal pandemic that attacks our morals, rights, and freedoms as pro-life individuals. This pandemic is none other than the cancel culture, which involves shaming and punishing those whose comments, ideas, or beliefs are contrary to the mainstream narrative and considered offensive. Social media platforms and news networks are among other public forums used to openly condemn a person, thrusting them out of social or professional spheres. Teens and young adults who hold pro-life beliefs are easy targets of the cancel climate, whether in school, the workplace, or other public settings. Concrete examples of the active attack against our voices include cyberbullying on Instagram and the labelling of pro-life clubs as hate groups by student governments.
Beth, a 20-year-old from the GTA, shares her experience as a pro-life student impacted by the cancelled culture. At the age of seventeen attending a Catholic High School, she was frequently unable to voice her opinions in political science class because her teacher would immediately terminate classroom discussions when she became involved. As a supporter of former President Donald Trump, mainly because of his pronounced pro-life views, Beth took the opportunity on “hat day” to wear a MAGA hat. Her teacher requested that she remove it, to which she refused. As a result, she was sent to the principal’s office.
Beth explains: “…I refused because regardless of if I’m wrong by wearing it and showing my support for him, I had a right to do so, and she couldn’t take it away because she disagrees with the message.”
Beth is not alone in her struggle against the cancel climate. 18-year-old Claire experienced an attack on her beliefs by students and staff in her Catholic high school. Her pro-life club organized a week-long campaign focussed on giving voices to the voiceless, not limited to abortion victims, but also other groups who feel unheard. The club invited a speaker to deliver a presentation on gender and sexuality from a Christian moral perspective to the students. Following the presentation, two students approached Claire and her friend, threatening to take legal action for the propagation of “hate speech”. They were also called derogatory names and forced to reiterate their Catholic beliefs for further challenge and insult. In a school where they should feel confident sharing their Christian values, Claire and other pro-life students were targets of the cancel culture.
Social engineering is achieved in part by the cancel culture, which provides a way to regulate social change and the future development of society. The silencing of a person whose beliefs conflict with the mainstream narrative allows authoritative leaders and organizations to control large populations. Beth expresses her fear regarding the push for censorship on the governmental level with Bill C-10, which is currently before the House of Commons. This legislation would give the government authority to regulate any content created and posted online, including blocking sites and posts to prevent their access by Canadians.
“I honestly believe that if we don’t use our freedom of speech because we fear social consequences (like being cancelled), we will lose freedom of speech on a legal level,” Beth explains. “If we give an inch they take a mile, so don’t give an inch.”
Evidence already exists of the targeting of pro-life youth by the cancel culture in legislation. The Canada Summer Jobs Grant provides companies with financial support to fund student jobs. However, in 2018, Justin Trudeau banned anti-abortion groups from receiving this funding. As a result, this could force anti-abortion organizations to cancel summer job programs. The defunding of youth employment opportunities in prolife organizations is a deliberate attempt to “cancel” pro-life youth.
Despite the disheartening reality of the cancel culture, there is hope for pro-lifers. During this year’s Rose Dinner panel at the March for Life, Rev. Dr. Andrew Bennett and Tanya Granic Allen advised us to be open to civil and reasonable dialogue to discover the truth and to not self-censor, which feeds into the cancel culture. The panel urged members of the pro-life movement to maintain a spirit of joy and humility, to see in others the image and likeness of God. We are also encouraged to persevere and be creative by investigating alternative platforms to communicate our beliefs in the face of being cancelled. “You can only be cancelled if you allow yourself to be cancelled,” emphasized Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America.
University student Mark from Southeastern Ontario explains that he has always been able to find alternate avenues to have his Canadian Conservative values heard. In grade eleven, he attempted to start a pro-life club to fundraise for crisis pregnancy centres. In response, his principal stated that they couldn’t have the school’s approval or be directly associated with the school. Rather than losing hope when faced with opposition, Mark and his friends started their pro-life club using discord and encouraged students to join.
As pro-life youth, our energy and passion are critical in the pursuit of truth, even when it is considered “hate speech” by the court of public opinion. Edmund Burke is believed to have said: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” At the risk of having our voice taken away, we must stand for those who haven’t had a voice since 1969: the over 4 million unborn children that have been cancelled in Canada through abortion. In doing so, we uphold our God-given mission entrusted to us in the great commission: “And you shall be my witnesses throughout the ends of the earth.”
