Morning Wire: Is the Pro-Life Movement Gaining Ground With Gen Z?

Podcast: Morning Wire
Hosts: John Bickley & Georgia Howe
Guest: Kristen Hawkins (President, Students for Life Action)
Release Date: February 22, 2026
Episode Focus: Exploring trends among Gen Z on abortion, campus activism, and the current state of the pro-life movement.

Episode Overview

This episode of Morning Wire centers on whether the pro-life movement is gaining traction with Gen Z, focusing particularly on college campuses—"ground zero" in the modern abortion debate. Kristen Hawkins, the president of Students for Life Action, joins John Bickley and Georgia Howe for an in-depth discussion. Key topics include generational shifts in attitudes, successes and challenges in pro-life activism, and targeted strategies for persuading young women.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Shifting Generational Attitudes (03:35–06:58)

• Gen Z vs. Millennials:

  • Hawkins notes marked differences between Gen Y (millennials) and Gen Z, emphasizing Gen Z’s preference for direct debate and conversation.
  • [Quote | 07:30]: “Gen Y... it was harder to have a conversation about abortion. Don't talk about that... Gen Z is much more direct. They don't mind the direct conversation, which is why videos of me on campuses go viral now.” – Kristen Hawkins

• Shifts in Gender Perspectives:

  • Polls indicate young men—particularly conservatives—now value having children and family more highly, seeing family as a marker of success.
  • Young women, particularly liberals, rate "having children" lower; social media influence is least valued across groups.

• Cultural Trends:

  • Hawkins observes a “pendulum swing” among young women, some moving right, but also a more vocal and extreme opposition among others.
  • She cautions pro-lifers against dismissing or mocking highly vocal pro-choice women, emphasizing their equal value.

2. Trends in Campus Engagement and Strategy (06:58–10:45)

• Evolution on Campuses:

  • Hawkins founded Students for Life in 2006; abortion conversations have evolved—today’s students expect candor and confrontation.
  • The post-Roe landscape has energized both sides, but also forced those previously neutral (the "mushy middle") to choose sides.

• Data-Driven Insights:

  • Recent Polling: "Nearly 7 in 10 Gen Z and Gen Y voters want to see restrictions on abortion."
  • “Nine in ten say that common sense safety standards on chemical abortion pills should be in place...” – Kristen Hawkins (10:11)

• Substantial Progress and Setbacks:

  • Roe has been overturned, Planned Parenthood funding was restricted for a year, and abortion is heavily regulated or banned in entire regions.
  • However, illegal chemical abortion pills flood into pro-life states due to lack of federal enforcement.

3. Messaging, Religion, and Female Voters (10:45–20:26)

• Appealing to Values & Faith:

  • Recent months have seen a “religious revival” on campuses, but Gen Z remains the least "churched" demographic ever—under 50% self-identify as Christian.
  • Hawkins stresses her message is about inherent human value, needing to overcome secular assumptions.

• Engagement with Liberal, Urban Women:

  • The “cosmopolitan coastal young woman”—fashionable, secular, pro-choice—is Hawkins’ target audience for persuasion.
  • Memorable Harvard Moment (16:11–17:43): She describes a campus visit where two skeptical students, after heated discussion, chased her to the bathroom to keep talking—showing even fierce opponents may engage with direct, nuanced arguments.

  Quote | 16:14: “I can see the little animated light bulbs going off... Even if they really hate me... they have a hard time hating what I'm saying.” – Kristen Hawkins

• Framing and Policy Solutions:

  • Hawkins argues true empowerment means supporting women to both pursue careers/education and have children, advocating for paid family leave and expanded child tax credits.
  • She criticizes both Democratic opposition to pro-family bills and attacks from some in the conservative movement against women leaders.

• Internal Movement Dynamics:

  • There is tension inside the pro-life/conservative movement, with some demanding more male leadership and deriding women leaders as “raging feminists.”
  • Passionate Response | 19:44:
    “You can’t fight Moloch, Satan, with women. I was like, shut the hell up. You wear loafers and you’re in a freaking podcast room. I’m, like, out on the ground getting, like, sunburnt.” – Kristen Hawkins

4. The Centrality of Female Voters (18:56–20:26)

• Electoral Stakes:

  • Hawkins and Howe agree: Winning over young women is the linchpin for shifting election outcomes, as abortion motivates turnout and loyalty more than economic issues.

  Quote | 18:56: “That is the linchpin issue that will flip a female voter... If you can figure out how to massage your message for that group, that’s your key to the whole thing.” – Georgia Howe

• Appeal for Movement Unity:

  • Hawkins urges allies to view even hostile, pro-choice women as members of their communities and worthy of respect and outreach.

5. Policy Priorities: Chemical Abortion Pills (21:01–24:52)

• Chemical Abortion Pills as Top Focus:

  • The proliferation of mail-order abortion pills (mifepristone and misoprostol) is now the main challenge; these drugs are easily accessible and difficult to regulate.

  Quote | 21:09: “The leading cause of infant death in our country today are chemical abortions. Chemical abortions are abortions that are happening in homes, in dormitories.” – Kristen Hawkins

• Environmental Concerns:

  • Citing Students for Life research, Hawkins claims metabolites from abortion pills are found in water supplies, warning of health consequences and regulation lapses.

• Legislative Pushes:

  • Students for Life is advocating for state-level Anti Chemical Abortion Trafficking Acts, empowering attorneys general and families to act against pill distribution.
  • There's frustration at both parties’ lack of action; existing federal laws (like the Comstock Act) are not enforced.
  • Emergency room statistics and environmental impacts are used to lobby for tighter restrictions.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On generational contrasts in value systems:
  “For young men who voted for President Trump, number one marker of success was having children... For women who voted for Kamala Harris, [having kids] was 12 out of 13. The only thing that beat out having kids was social media influencer was 13 for all four demographics.” – Kristen Hawkins (04:41–05:14)

• On the need for direct conversation:
  “The Gen Zs value that directness. But I do think we’ve seen substantial success in the broader pro life movement reversing Roe.” – Kristen Hawkins (08:01–08:06)

• On the necessity of personal engagement:
  “If we don’t save her, if we can’t convince her that she has value and worth and dignity, it’s almost impossible to convince her that the temporarily inconvenient child in her womb...also has value.” – Kristen Hawkins (20:26–20:40)

• Humorous pushback against internal critics:
  “Shut the hell up. You wear loafers and you’re in a freaking podcast room. I’m, like, out on the ground getting, like, sunburnt on campuses and getting spit at and yelled at and death threats.” – Kristen Hawkins (19:44–20:13)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:35–06:58 – Trends in Gen Z and gender split on abortion
• 07:27–10:45 – Cultural shifts, campus strategy, and polling data
• 11:17–14:00 – Religious revival, unique Gen Z approaches
• 14:19–17:43 – Memorable Harvard encounter, messaging strategies
• 18:02–20:26 – Why winning women is central; internal pro-life movement criticism
• 21:01–24:52 – Chemical abortion pills policy battle, environmental concerns
• 24:54–25:20 – Podcast wrap-up and how to follow Kristen Hawkins

Conclusion

Hawkins portrays a movement deeply engaged with Gen Z, fighting on multiple fronts: legal, cultural, and interpersonal. Successes like Roe’s reversal are met with new obstacles, including the distribution of chemical abortion pills and shifting cultural values. The episode's overarching message is clear: effective, respectful outreach—especially to young women—is both the greatest challenge and the surest path to future policy victories.

For further information, listeners are invited to follow Kristen Hawkins on her podcast and social platforms.