Faith, gender and abortion center stage at Amy Coney Barrett's confirmation

On the surface, American politics appears to be full of paradoxes. In 2016, many women — and especially white Christian women — voted for Donald Trump over the first woman nominated for U.S. president by a major party. Now, in 2020, confirmation hearings are occurring for a woman, nominated by Trump, who opposes a woman’s right to choose abortion. How might those women who voted for Trump feel about these hearings that reopen questions about women’s autonomy over their own bodies?

A further seeming paradox can provide context for the role of faith, gender, and abortion in these hearings. People often assume that it's men who are most likely to oppose women's right to choose what to do with their bodies. But, as we’re seeing in a vivid way, men don't have a monopoly on opposing abortion rights. In fact, in a recent study, I found it’s actually men who are more likely to support abortion in the United States.