In a recently published op-ed, Grace Kavinsky accused WU Students for Life and the Abortion Dialogue Academyof lacking empathy toward rape survivors and denying the humanity of women. Although her intentions are surely well-meaning, as a woman, I am hurt by her overreaching and inaccurate claims, and I would like to refute these unfair allegations.

Among the most conflicted is the pro-life voter: One who denounces the legalization of abortion with the same urgency that pro-choice advocates fight against restrictive abortion laws.

Less than 24 hours after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to freeze federal funding for Planned Parenthood, pro-life Christians rallied outside of the St. Louis location. Since the bill will likely not make it past the Democratic majority in the Senate, the vote is mostly symbolic—but if passed, it would block funding for a full year to allow Congress time to investigate the group’s involvement with fetal tissue research.

The Washington University Students for Life chapter decided to hand out candy at the underpass to raise awareness for the issue. A widespread response, however, seemed to be that taking our candy (or even talking to us, for that matter) would have been an abhorrent act of war upon the freedom of women everywhere.