The Rise of Anti-Abortion Views Among British Gen Z: What’s Behind It?

Image: Firecrest Films/BBC Press

By Jon Donnis

A recent BBC announcement revealed an upcoming documentary, Young, British, and Anti-Abortion, set to explore the evolving views of Gen Z in the UK regarding abortion. Although Britain's abortion rate is higher than ever, and a recent survey showed that 90% of respondents are pro-abortion, filmmaker Poppy Jay aims to investigate whether a shift is emerging among young Britons, some of whom are challenging the mainstream narrative.

While the documentary will likely provide an array of perspectives, it raises questions about what's fueling anti-abortion sentiments within this generation, especially in a country where opposition to abortion has historically been minimal.

Changing Perspectives on Abortion

In recent years, pro-life perspectives have taken on more nuanced narratives that appeal to younger audiences, particularly those who feel disillusioned with modern ethics and politics. For some in Gen Z, the argument centers on protecting the rights of the unborn, emphasizing that even at early stages, life is a continuum that begins at conception. As technological advancements provide clearer insights into fetal development, such as heartbeats detected within six weeks and the formation of neural pathways by 12 weeks, the argument for the humanity of the fetus has taken root in the minds of some young people.

Gen Z's inclination toward digital platforms has also shifted how this message is received and shared. Social media has created spaces where young people can find like-minded individuals, often outside of the conventional pro-life or religious frameworks. This form of "digital activism" has allowed for a diversity of voices, some motivated by science, ethics, or even feminist critiques of abortion, which claim that abortion allows society to avoid tackling systemic issues that impact women.

Ethical and Philosophical Concerns

Another layer of the conversation among young people centers around the ethics of bodily autonomy. While the pro-abortion stance emphasizes a woman's right to make decisions about her own body, pro-life advocates in the UK argue for a balance between the rights of the mother and the unborn child. This approach to bodily autonomy argues that the rights of both lives – mother and unborn child – are not mutually exclusive. Some young anti-abortion advocates believe that the movement must prioritize compassionate, supportive systems for women facing unplanned pregnancies rather than leaving them to choose between their lives and the lives of their children.

Is the UK Moving Closer to the US Debate?

Historically, the abortion debate in the UK has been less polarized than in the United States. However, with high-profile pro-life movements in the US gaining significant attention on social media, British Gen Z anti-abortion advocates have taken cues from their American counterparts in using digital platforms to spread their message. In the UK, these young advocates are challenging the mainstream with a campaign style that emphasizes compassion, often avoiding the traditionally aggressive rhetoric associated with the pro-abortion movement.

With the help of digital networks, Gen Z advocates are speaking more about comprehensive support systems for pregnant women, like better maternal healthcare and financial support, as well as changes in workplace policies to support women who want to carry pregnancies to term.

The Influence of Faith and Secular Morality

While religious institutions have long been associated with anti-abortion stances, Gen Z's pushback against abortion in the UK isn't exclusively faith-based. Increasingly, young pro-life advocates in the UK are framing abortion as a human rights issue rather than a religious one. This appeal to secular ethics, along with science-based arguments on fetal development, is reshaping the pro-life conversation.

For others, faith does play a significant role, with young Christians, Muslims, and those of other faiths expressing their beliefs about the sanctity of life through the lens of their religion. However, many faith-based advocates have adopted a gentler approach, emphasizing compassion over confrontation, something that resonates with a generation increasingly wary of polarizing tactics.

Moving Beyond Labels

Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of the Gen Z anti-abortion movement is its diversity of thought. Young people who identify as pro-life in the UK often reject rigid binaries. Some emphasize the need for better sexual education, access to contraception, and increased economic support for parents as measures to reduce abortion rates without removing choice altogether. Others advocate for incremental changes, like reducing the gestational limit for abortion, which they argue would reflect advances in neonatal care and fetal viability.

A Movement with New Narratives

Young, British, and Anti-Abortion offers a timely exploration of a movement that is redefining itself. Gen Z anti-abortion advocates are blending compassion, digital savviness, and a broad ethical framework to address an issue many people see as settled. By focusing on both mother and fetus, these young activists are setting the groundwork for a movement that resists categorization and thrives on nuanced discussions. The outcome of this movement in the UK remains uncertain, but what is clear is that it challenges assumptions about what it means to be young, progressive, and morally engaged in 21st-century Britain.

History of the pro-abortion industry.
The origins of the abortion industry are deeply entwined with early 20th-century eugenicist ideals, particularly those that sought to limit the growth of populations deemed "undesirable" by certain elites. Prominent eugenicists, including Margaret Sanger, the founder of what would become Planned Parenthood, openly advocated for birth control and abortion as a means of controlling population growth among those they believed would pass on poverty, illness, or "feeble-mindedness." While Sanger's mission was ostensibly to help poor women avoid unwanted pregnancies, her emphasis on eugenics disproportionately targeted Black communities and other minority populations. She supported sterilization policies and birth control initiatives that were selectively pushed onto African American neighborhoods, echoing a troubling belief that controlling the reproductive rights of marginalized groups would "improve" society.

In the United States, this eugenicist influence played a significant role in shaping early family planning and abortion policies that targeted Black communities explicitly. The infamous "Negro Project" of the 1930s and 40s, promoted by Sanger and other Planned Parenthood founders, directed contraceptive and reproductive health resources primarily to poor, Black neighborhoods, often without comprehensive education or informed consent. Although framed as an effort to provide health resources to underserved communities, these projects were partly driven by a desire to curb Black population growth. This historical context sheds light on why some today remain critical of the abortion industry's continuing high presence in communities of colour, viewing it as a legacy of policies rooted in controlling, rather than empowering, the reproductive choices of minority populations.