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Pro-Choice Loyola Students Protest Rep. Katrina Jackson at Pro-Life Conference On Campus

This year, the 2019 Rehumanize Conference was hosted on Loyola University’s campus by their pro-life club Wolfpack for Life! It was a weekend full of common ground pro-life issues across a broad political spectrum, and Democrat Representative Katrina Jackson was a keynote speaker, there to present on building a whole life culture in Louisiana. 

As she was sharing her perspective, a group of Loyola students, many of whom are members of the Democrat club on campus, stood up with pro-choice signs and began to drown her out with the chant “MY BODY MY CHOICE”. Joining these pro-choice students was Amy Irvin, Executive Director of New Orleans Abortion Fund. 

Representative Jackson calmly addressed them as they quieted their chant, saying, “We can have a fair exchange… When we get to the Question and Answer section, I’m going to take your questions too. I don’t eliminate anyone from discussion.” Yet as soon as she returned to her presentation, they resumed yelling “MY BODY MY CHOICE” until they were escorted out of the building by security. 

Ironically, the legislation that Representative Jackson authored which will be heard soon before the U.S. Supreme Court is one that does not make abortion illegal, but would ensure that abortion facilities are held to the same standard as other outpatient surgical centers in Louisiana. Admitting privileges help to protect the health and safety of women’s bodies, and these pro-choice students would presumably care about that with the same passion as caring about abortion access. Clearly, these students are closed to any dialogue and are okay with health standard loopholes that put women at risk for the sake of having “choice”. 

After the students were escorted outside, a member of Rehumanize International remained outside with them to continue a calm discussion and encouraged them to find common ground on other social justice issues while allowing people like Representative Katrina Jackson to speak. 

Thank you to Loyola Wolfpack for Life and Rehumanize International for bravely putting on such a controversial event, and for handling the situation with dignity. We admire all that you do for life!