Feminists for Life thrilled to see Sarah Palin as vice presidential nominee

Aug 29, 2008 / 16:15 pm

This morning Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska was selected by Sen. John McCain to serve as his vice presidential nominee. Palin brings with her several unique credentials, but one of the most notable is that she is a proud member of Feminists for Life, according to the group’s president Serrin Foster.

In an interview with CNA on Friday, Foster explained that her group normally doesn’t disclose its membership, but since Gov. Palin freely spoke about it to the Anchorage Daily News in August of 2006, she could confirm that Palin joined in 2006.

Sarah Palin also revealed in the same article that she has ‘adamantly supported’ the pro-life cause since ‘I first understood, as a child, the atrocity of abortion.’

Gov. Sarah Palin is not just spouting rhetoric regarding her dedication to protecting life.  On April 18, 2008, Palin gave birth to her fifth child Trig Paxon Van Palin, despite her doctor’s suggestion that she abort him because he has Down’s Syndrome. 

Palin’s beliefs mesh well with Feminists for Life’s goal of “systematically eliminating the root causes that drive women to abortion” and “doing so through women centered solutions.” The vice presidential nominee explained that she believes “no woman should have to choose between her career, education and her child.”

While Palin, a non-denominational Protestant, is anti-abortion, she is in support of contraception, a position that lies beyond the scope of FFL’s mission, Ms. Foster said.

The selection of Sarah Palin as McCain’s running mate led Foster to reflect on what the event means for women and the feminist movement.

“One can only wonder how Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton would feel to see this: Hillary speaking on the anniversary of the 88th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. And now, Sarah Palin two days later, becoming the first pro-life feminist to be chosen as a major party’s vice presidential nominee.”

FFL’s president also pointed out that her group has seen unprecedented success in recent weeks because “the platforms of both major U.S. political parties incorporate key pieces of FFL's unique message."

The Democratic Party platform added language this year that states: “The Democratic Party also strongly supports a woman's decision to have a child by ensuring access to and availability of programs for pre and post natal health care, parenting skills, income support, and caring adoption programs.”

Ms. Foster was particularly surprised and happy to learn that the proposed platform for the Republican Party will include the phrase she coined—“Women deserve better than abortion," she told CNA.