For many years, the pro-abortion movement has been successful in convincing men they need not concern themselves with the “women’s issue” of abortion. Looking at the students attending this year’s Youth 4 Life Expo, that may be starting to change.

Of the 175 students from Catholic high schools gathered at St. Nicholas in Langley, B.C., close to half were young men.

“I think it’s the influence of the girls,” Francisco Alvarado, a Grade 10 student from Saint John Paul II Academy, said. 

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What started as a few guys listening to their female friends has turned into a greater interest in pro-life issues, now driven by the young men themselves.

“So you have maybe a few guys coming to the event, and then these guys bring other guys,” Alvarado said, his four male classmates all nodding in agreement.

They appreciate that their female classmates made an effort to appeal to what they see as their masculine desire for a more scientific, fact-driven approach to pro-life issues.

“I feel like the guys like more of the facts,” said Grade 11 student Martin Valencia, “and the girls brought the facts to the school (from pro-life events), and then the guys paid attention to the facts and decide to go to (events like the Expo 4 Life).”

There was also agreement among the young men that events like Expo 4 Life help them feel more capable of taking on the issues and of helping people in need. 

“It’s good to be knowledgeable about abortion and all the issues that come with it,” said Grade 12 student Charles King. “Because as soon as you have someone in your circle who is struggling, you need to be well equipped to help them — know certain statistics, stuff like that — that could probably help them or change their mind to save a life.”

One benefit Valencia sees is that once they started to engage with the issues, he and his friends became more comfortable with the emotional reality of being pro-life.

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“Guys hide what they feel,” he said, and the influence of the girls has given them the space to express their feelings and beliefs. “I feel like when you come in here, you can spread your wings a bit more.”

There was speculation about why young men haven’t seemed as interested in previous years. 

“One thing that might have kept guys away from being pro-life is that people are told if you’re a guy you can’t talk about pro-life issues,” King said. “It’s not true — abortion is wrong, no matter if you’re a boy or a girl.”

The Expo is about broadening the conception of what pro-life means. Speakers such as Elizabeth Sutcliffe, who was instrumental in establishing Advokate’s Life and Education Services pregnancy centres in British Columbia, gave an emotional pro-life talk about her experiences healing from an abortion. 

The efforts have borne fruit, and the students say they appreciate the larger pro-life umbrella.

“I chose to come because I also believe in the pro-life aspect of everything,” said Cristobal Leal, a Grade 12 student from Saint John Paul II Academy. “I feel like if I come to these events and educate myself about these pro-life activities, I can probably make a difference.”

For many of the students, there is an undeniable element of faith in their concern about pro-life issues. Clara Curman, a Grade 9 student from Archbishop Carney, said that in a secular society it is more important than ever to stand up for one’s beliefs.

“It’s really important not to be afraid to share your views,” she said, “because oftentimes people are kind of neutral, and it’s easy to be neutral.”

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Following Christ means accepting one’s crosses, she said. 

“There’s going to be people who don’t agree with what you’re doing, but that doesn’t mean that you stop. Jesus doesn’t call us to lead an easy life, but He gives us the strength to endure the hardships that we face.”