FFL's Frequently Asked Questions



Does Feminists for Life want to criminalize women for having abortions?
The early feminists enacted laws against abortion as consumer protection for women.
 
FFL has never advocated prosecuting women seeking abortion, although we believe that women are capable of following the law. Why doesn’t the law hold accountable those who threaten or coerce a woman into an abortion by withholding financial resources and emotional support? Abandonment is a powerful form of coercion.
 
We should criminalize anyone who withholds child support, fires a woman from her job because she is pregnant, refuses to accommodate her pregnancy, expels her from school, or threatens violence—-any act that forces her to choose between sacrificing her child and sacrificing her education, career plans, or safety from violence.
 
We believe that we should hold responsible those who profit from women’s pain—-especially the abortion industry.
 
Most important, we need to jump into hyperdrive to provide resources and solutions that will support women.


What is Feminists for Life's position on contraception?
Feminists for Life's mission is to address the unmet needs of women who are pregnant or parenting. Preconception issues including abstinence and contraception are outside of our mission. Some FFL members and supporters support the use of non-abortifacient contraception while others oppose contraception for a variety of reasons. FFL is concerned that certain forms of contraception have had adverse health effects on women.

Our membership enjoys a broad spectrum of opinion that reflects the diversity of opinions among the American public.

In the time of the early American feminists, sex between married couples was not always consensual. Many women bore 20 or more children, of whom only half survived. In order to affirm women’s rights within marriage, most feminist foremothers promoted “voluntary motherhood,” whereby women would have the education and right to fully participate in the decision to have sexual relations. FFL likewise supports life planning by focusing on one's education and career plans coupled with mentoring and empowering programs for teens.

(For more information on “voluntary motherhood” in the writings of early American feminists, please see Prolife Feminism Yesterday & Today edited by Mary Krane Derr, Rachel MacNair, and Linda Naranjo-Huebl.)


I want to use your posters and ads. What are the guidelines for using them?
For complete rules on sizes, where to post, and what information you can add, see our ad guidelines by visiting College Outreach Program Ad Guidelines or Women Deserve Better Ad Guidelines.

How can I form a Feminists for Life group on my campus?
We would love to be affiliated with you! If you are interested in exploring this option, please contact the College Outreach Program Coordinator at coordinator@ffloncampus.org or call 703-836-3354.

Do you have any free stuff for college students?
If you haven't yet received our College Outreach kit for students, and you are the leader of a pro-life group on your campus, write to us at info@feministsforlife.org and give us your name, mailing address, phone number, and the name of your college. Any student may download the individual ads and use the resources on our site for your papers. Past issues of The American Feminist may also be downloaded for free.

I'm writing a paper and would like to interview someone at Feminists for Life.
Due to the volume of requests, we have created this website for the purposes of helping students on their papers. Our spokespeople are generally unavailable for interviews because they are traveling to campuses all over the U.S.

I want to reach out to a campus near me. Do you have materials I could use?
Feminists for Life has College Outreach kits for faculty advisors who want to spread pro-life feminism on campus and for pregnancy care centers helping students facing unexpected pregnancies. For more information, write to us at info@feministsforlife.org. Include your name, mailing address and the name of the campus where you want to use the materials.

Do you have materials and speakers for high school audiences?
Our materials and presentations are geared to a college audience. While you may find some of our materials appropriate for high schools, we generally do not schedule speakers for that age group.

What is FFL's position on euthanasia? Abortion in cases of rape or incest?
For our position on many life issues, please see our topics page. If the answer isn't there, write to us at info@feministsforlife.org

What is your religious affiliation?
Feminists for Life is a nonsectarian organization and welcomes all people, regardless of religious beliefs.

Do you endorse political candidates?
We are a nonpartisan organization that does not endorse or support candidates of any party.

Do you sell bumper stickers, brochures, T-shirts, etc.?
Yes we do! Click here for FFL's Covetable Stuff!

I want to order some brochures to hand out. How do I do that?
If you'd like to see samples of our brochures, you can see What Women Really Want, You Have Choices or our Voices of Our Feminist Foremothers poster by clicking on their name. For our Refuse to Choose membership brochure or our College Outreach Program brochure, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Feminists for Life, P.O. Box 320667, Alexandria, VA 22320. If you already know what you want to order, you can do so online here.

Does Feminists for Life have speakers who could come to our campus?
Information on hosting a speaker appears on our website. After reading through the guidelines, write to us at info@feministsforlife.org to schedule a speaker. Be sure to include the name and geographic location of your school, along with the dates you would prefer.

We want your honorary chair and two-time Emmy winner Patricia Heaton or your honorary co-chair -- film, stage and television actor Margaret Colin -- to speak at our conference.
Ms. Heaton wishes that she could accept every invitation, but as a mother of four boys with a busy career, her time is limited. Invitations for large, national events may be emailed to info@feministsforlife.org. However, she wants to share her appreciation for those who volunteer and support women and children at risk of abortion at the local level. Therefore we have a brief video greeting suitable for pro-woman, pro-life conferences and banquets. If you are interested in receiving a copy of the video or any other FFL materials for your event, write to us at info@feministsforlife.org.For New York-based actor Margaret Colin, requests may be sent to info@feministsforlife.org.

When will FFL President Serrin Foster or FFL Vice President Sally Winn be speaking in my area?
For a continually updated listing of speaker dates in the next few months, see our Speaker Schedule.

How may I join Feminists for Life?
You may join online using a Visa or MasterCard by clicking here, or join by mail by printing out the membership form and sending it with a check or money order for $25 ($15 for students; $35 for outside U.S.) to: Feminists for Life, Dept. 0641, Washington, DC 20073.

Can men be members?
Yes! We welcome men who consider themselves pro-life feminists.

Can I give a gift membership to someone?
We encourage that! Follow the instructions above for joining and be sure to include the recipient's mailing address. Memberships are $25 or $15 for students. We will send a letter announcing your gift with the first issue of The American Feminist. (Gift memberships may not be anonymous.)

Can you recommend some books on pro-life feminism?
We sell a few. See our online catalog here. We are currently working on a bibliography to be posted on our website.

How can I find out more about Feminists for Life and pro-life feminism?
Read the extensive information on our website, and sign up for our free e-list.

I'm having trouble convincing my friends that feminists can be pro-life.
Familiarize yourself with various issues of The American Feminist and some of the material under the "Feminist History" button on our website.

I have an article I think FFL could use. How do I submit it to The American Feminist?
Each issue of The American Feminist covers a theme. If you'd like to be considered as a writer for an upcoming issue, on a theme we choose, please submit a writing sample to us at info@feministsforlife.org. (Writers are volunteers.)

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© 2007 Feminists for Life