Stereotypes fly right and left when it comes to the controversy concerning pro-life and pro-choice viewpoints, especially given the fact the U.S. is split between both sides with 46 percent of Americans claiming a pro-life stance and 47 percent of Americans claiming a pro-choice stance, according to a recent Gallup poll.

As a result, it is essential to discuss what it means to truly embody a pro-life position.

“Being pro-life does not mean I don’t care about the mother’s needs,” Cathedral Catholic High School student Sophie Otto ‘18 said. “However, I’m looking at the dignity of a human life. No one should have the ability to take that away in any aspect of life, not just childbirth.”

Choosing the pro-life viewpoint does not necessarily mean one opposes women’s rights, but instead, advocates protecting all human rights. Pro-lifers do not only care about the life of unborn children, but rather all human lives.

Many individuals believe people who are pro-life do not care about the mothers who struggle to financially support their child. Yet, people who are truly pro-life understand the struggles women face because of their pregnancies.

Pro-lifers strive to remedy the situation pregnant women are placed in, since 42 percent of women who obtain abortions in the U.S. live below the federal poverty level, according the Guttmacher Institute.

A prime example of the Catholic Church protecting and supporting pregnant women throughout and after their pregnancies is Culture of Life, a Catholic organization that provides health care, counseling, spiritual direction, and essential childcare items.

“The Catholic Church has inspired many other organizations to come up to protect mothers,” CCHS Spiritual Director Fr. Patrick Wainright said. “It is important as Catholics to help these women and to protect all life.”

With funding from regional dioceses, the Catholic Church even counsels women who receive abortions in an effort to assist the 80 percent of women who express feelings of “self-hatred” and the 60 percent of women who report suicidal ideation, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

Further, taking a pro-life stance revolves around protecting the dignity of all human life.

“Even though I consider myself pro-life, a lot of people believe that I do not support all life,” CCHS student Ethan Zeledon ’17 said. “In reality, I support every single form human life, including refugees, old people, homeless people, and children.”

Many people inaccurately conclude that people who support pro-life do not care about all human life, yet someone cannot be pro-life unless that person embodies what it means to be pro-life in every aspect.

“I don’t get when people support things like the death penalty, but don’t support abortion,” CCHS student Emeline Polis ’17. “It’s people like them who cause the negative stereotype to come across on people who support pro-life.”

According to the Pew Research Center, 51 percent of Catholics say having an abortion is morally wrong. However, many individuals believe the separation of church and state emphasizes reasons to discard the pro-life perspective.

However, someone does not need to have religion to support human life.

“When you are pro-life, you support human rights—the human right to life,” Fr. Wainright said. “It is not any human’s choice to choose when or how someone dies, regardless if you do not believe in God.”