We recorded another episode with Secular Pro-Life’s Monica Snyder, our favorite practically co-host, to discuss Secular Pro-Life’s recent survey on the differences between how both sides of the issue define abortion.

A critical part of clear communication is making sure you and your dialogue partner are using the key words in the same way. Pro-life and pro-choice people often mean VERY different things when they use the word "abortion," but they don't know that, and miscommunication ensues.

This episode will help you avoid that miscommunication. The ERI team offers several practical dialogue tips stemming from what we can learn from this survey.

Related Links:

Take SPL’s survey

SPL blog post: How pro-lifers and pro-choicers define abortion: results from SPL’s survey

Figure 1: Which scenarios are abortions?

Figures 4 and 5: Pro-choice and Pro-life perspectives

Figure 6: Is it an abortion if it doesn't cause death?

Figure 7: Is a miscarriage an abortion?

Figure 8: Are there ethical abortions?

The journal article that originally gave Monica Snyder the idea for this project: “Technically an abortion”: Understanding perceptions and definitions of abortion in the United States

EFL Podcast: Defining the Word “Abortion” Will Change Your Dialogues (with Dank Pro-Life Memes)

Charles Camosy: Beyond the Abortion Wars: A Way Forward for a New Generation

Chapters:
00:00: Introducing the survey
04:48: Figure 1: Which scenarios are abortions?
25:14: Figures 4 & 5: Pro-choice and pro-life perspectives
27:55: Figure 6: Is it an abortion if it doesn't cause death?
31:34: Figure 7: Is a miscarriage an abortion?
33:07: Is a C-section an abortion?
41:52: Figure 8: Are there ethical abortions?
56:39: Should we define abortion?

ERI Links:

Equal Rights Institute Website

Equal Rights Institute Blog

Equipped for Life Academy

Equipped for Life Course

Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass

Hosts: Josh Brahm, Emily Geiger, Rebecca Carlson
Guest: Monica Snyder
Audio/Video Editors: Joshua Head, Josh Brahm
Publisher: Ellen Campbell

Yes, abortion pills are harmful to women and unborn children. We're pro-life. But when you take an honest look at the evidence, there is no evidence that abortion pills are poisoning our wastewater.

This episode includes a visual slideshow, and can be viewed at our YouTube channel here:
https://youtu.be/i5pSzvfwE5U

Content warning: If you have experienced pregnancy loss, this may not be the episode for you. There’s an inherent graphic nature to the kinds of claims we’re offering factual and philosophical arguments against. While we kept the conversation as tame as possible, we know this is a very difficult subject for people who have lost one or more children, so please take care and pay attention to your body if you choose to listen to this episode.

Secular Pro-Life’s Monica Snyder joins Josh, Emily, and Rebecca to discuss the relatively recent argument from certain pro-life organizations that abortion pills and/or embryonic remains are poisoning our wastewater. We consider and respond to the strongest arguments for this claim and address the real harm this can have on people who have experienced miscarriage.

Related Links:

Secular Pro-Life: Are abortion pills harming the environment?

https://secularprolife.org/2025/07/are-abortion-pills-harming-the-environment

Secular Pro-Life’s proposed miscarriage remains protocol:

https://secularprolife.org/disposition-protocol

FDA letter calculating risk of mifepristone:

https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/wyomingnews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/fa/1fa0ca64-daa9-11ef-b904-c373297d6ab4/67941f1aa495e.pdf.pdf

The fish study:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166445X19305004?via%3Dihub

Chapters:

0:00: Welcome Monica Snyder from Secular Pro-Life

1:08: Introducing today's topic: abortion pills, the environment, and our wastewater

3:57: The strongest arguments that abortion pills are harmful to the environment

23:50: Responding to embryonic/fetal remains going into our wastewater

35:18: Responding to Mifepristone going into our wastewater

43:12: The FDA/EPA's letter

49:11: How does this conversation affect people who have experienced miscarriage?

Hosts: Josh Brahm, Emily Geiger, Rebecca Carlson

Guest: Monica Snyder

Audio/Video Editors: Josh Brahm, Joshua Head

Publisher: Ellen Campbell

Trent Horn forwarded us a great question, so Josh brought ERI Club Coach/Video Editor Joshua Head onto the show, as Joshua is also a professional musician. Joshua went above and beyond, creating a list of tips for musicians in college as well as post-college.

This is a pretty niche topic, and admittedly, it sometimes turned into two musicians nerding out with each other. But it was a great question, and we wanted to be able to point people somewhere to get tips on this. Enjoy the conversation.

Trent and Laura Horn’s announcement and a prayer seeking the intercession of Venerable Aloysius Schwartz for Laura’s healing:
https://youtu.be/Ilj3CDGGkQg

Chapters:

• 00:00 Quick note about Trent and Laura Horn
• 01:58 Introducing Joshua and his pro-life experiences at St. Olaf and Johns Hopkins University
• 9:04 Listener question on how to be a pro-life activist without tanking your music career.
• 16:15 Advice for musicians in college
• 38:58 Advice for musicians out of college

Related Links:

Equal Rights Institute Website:
https://EqualRightsInstitute.com

Equal Rights Institute Blog:
https://Blog.EqualRightsInstitute.com

Equipped for Life Academy:
https://EquippedForLifeAcademy.com

Equipped for Life Course:
https://EquippedCourse.com

Sidewalk Counseling Masterclass:
http://SidewalkCounselingMasterclass.com

Host: Josh Brahm
Guest: Joshua Head
Audio/Video Editor: Josh Brahm
Publisher: Ellen Campbell & Josh Brahm