What Happened When A Doctor Asked Pro-Choice Christians to Say 'Hey' on Twitter
That was it. That was the tweet from Esther Choo, MD MPH @choo_ek.
But within hours, the doctor was stunned and grateful to see that thousands of Christians had responded with kindness and support. In fact, the messages of compassion and empathy far outnumbered the Christians who responded with judgment, shaming, and lies.
“I so appreciate those who “got” this call and responded. Thank you.” Dr. Choo tweeted.
Here is a sampling of the more than seven thousand replies and quote tweets:
Hey, I believe in Christ & aspire to his type of transformative leadership & love. I prefer the description “Christ-like”. I don’t follow/agree with many so called Christians. I believe in protecting & advancing Reproductive Rights Health & Justice for humanity. #RJAvengerforChrist ~ Karen A Scott MD MPH FACOG @RJEpiOBWarrior
Episcopal priest here and pro-choice. And if your insurance can cover Viagra it can damn well cover contraception. ~ Terri Colburn @Terrible_TerriC
As a cardiologist who sees women through high risk pregnancy it’s so important to empower women with knowledge, information and the ability to make their own choices and stand with them no matter what that choice is! ~ Aarthi Sabanayagam MD @ASabanayagamMD
Hey-o Also, it has always felt like a massive failure of the church to go from a goal of fewer abortions to promoting policies making abortions worse, rather than simply making every other option better. Free contraceptives, universal childcare, better care. Better & achievable. ~ Kevin Watanabe-Smith @WatanabeSmith
Hey there! Pro-choice Christian here! Christianity is my CHOICE of faith. I have never been blessed a with the CHOICE of what to do if pregnant, but it is between a woman and her doctor. I think I know what I would choose, but I don’t get to make those CHOICES for others. ~ The Red Pen @theredpen007
I have a complicated spiritual worldview which includes a relationship with Christ and hey. Yes. I emphatically believe in religious freedom, bodily autonomy for everyone, and the separation of church and state. ~ Cherish @cherishbearclaw
I was born and raised Catholic, 12 years of Catholic school, sent my daughters to a combined total of 14 years of Catholic school. We are all pro-choice advocates and Planned Parenthood supporters. ~ Dawn @DLNettnin
Hey. My body, my decision, my choice. And, I’d still pay more taxes if I knew that everyone would have safe and equitable access to medical care. It’s a right. It shouldn’t be a privilege. ~ BreonnaTaylorNeedsJustice @gincase
Yep. I was brought up Catholic, but I can’t accept their stance on reproductive rights or LGBT+ people. I was taught in a convent school, that the bible should not be taken literally. We don’t even do that with cookery books. ~ Anna Hayes @AnaNutherthing
100 Percent. I’m a faithful and disobedient Catholic who believes in science and public health. ~ Elizabeth Cronen @ecronen
I am very much a Christian man. I also believe that as a man, I have no right to legislate a woman's body. I feel no one has a right to legislate mine. Don't understand these men who think they have a right to control a woman's body. ~ old school teacher @DalphonMy
Christian, heck one of those life long Catholic types (even a failed postulancy!) and a huge advocate of reproductive rights & responsibilities. And living those 10 Commandments, not the GOP version, the 10 "suggestions"! ~ joypath @joyofpathology
So many so called ‘pro-life’ are cavalier about the risks of pregnancy. It is vastly underrated as a risk. I've never known a woman who had an abortion who did it carelessly. This is not a subject for government intervention. ~ judith smith @captain_judith
Hi there! I’m a Christian who also had a late-term loss. I know how precious life is and it’s because of my faith that I choose reproductive rights. Paige Bennett @paigenomadgirl
Hey! Pro-choice also. The entire gospel is a choice, how this gets overlooked and then becomes the cornerstone of shaming and branding women for their choices (which also involve a man's choice, but ok, whatever) is beyond me.
Hey hey. Christian family doc. All about reproductive justice. The two are not mutually exclusive. ~ Matt Peters, MD @petersm22
Catholic. Definitely believe in reproductive rights. Don’t attend church much anymore, but had a good discussion with a progressive priest about my difficulty accepting the church bc of the position re abortion and other issues. He heard me out & was so accepting. ~ Christina Mangurian, MD, MAS @CMangurian
I’m non-denominational Christian and don’t tweet much about faith because of the assumptions others may make about my practice, but I believe in reproductive rights, affirm LGBTQIA+ youth, and assist trans youth with medical transition. ~ Rebekah Fenton, MD @RFentonMD
I am a Christian - I believe in reproductive rights, I don't want Roe v Wade overturned, I don't want to go back to the Dark Ages either. ~ Cathy Coleman @CathyJoeGPT
Waving from my couch. Life is infinitely complicated and full of pain I know nothing about. I think empathy means giving women the choice and then providing structures of support for whatever their choice is. ~ Rea T Rainbow @ReaTschetter
Hey! Yes — pro-choice, pro-repro rights, and pro-reproductive justice, evangelical/raised United Methodist here. Also a strong supporter of the separation of church and state. ~ Sarah Riggs Amico @SarahRiggsAmico
Here I am! Raised Catholic and firmly believe in reproductive rights and choice. As do my Catholic husband, siblings, and parents. ~ Elizabeth Laverriere McGovern, MD, MPH @DrElizabethL
Amen! We’d all like a perfect world where every baby is wanted. Until then, let’s do our best to prevent unwanted pregnancies and also protect the lives of women who have to/need to choose abortion. ~ Janice Fujii @FujiiJanice9
Hi! Pro-choice Christian from Alabama here. Thanks for this. It often feels like I'm alone in my views living in such a deep red state. Alice Paul @AlPal2017
“Hey” - pediatrician & Catholic who believes in reproductive rights & provides services. Stephanie Starr, MD @StephRStarr
*shouting and waving arms*: HEY!!!! My Christian faith dictates what I do; not what others choose to do for their health and safety. Ronda Alexander, MD @houstonvoicedoc
Hey, I’m an Episcopalian and a firm believer in women’s right to choose (and all other forms of autonomy). ~ Kirsten Nelson @kirstennelson1
We all love someone who had to go through an abortion. I feel so fortunate I have not been in a situation (*yet)when I needed one, & I fully support all my fellow humans who have had to make that personal medical choice. ~the urban sturgeon @urbansturgeon
I've never been in a position where I've had to make a difficult choice regarding a pregnancy. For those women who have, I hope they were given EVERY option available and I wish them peace. I'm a Presbyterian and I believe in a woman's right to choose. ~ Cate Pearce @cate_pearce
Anglican Canadian Lay minister and strong supporter of women’s autonomy in all aspects of their health care. I support all women in whatever choice they make, because I know that women weigh their choices considering many different factors. In all things: my body, my choice. ~ Sharon Taylor @taylorwimsey
I am a Catholic who believes in reproductive rights. My mom is 82, played organ for the church for 13 years and she believes is reproductive rights. Men should not make those decisions for our bodies. Not male politicians, nor male clergy. ~ Marina @marina282828
Yup! Totally pro-choice. Any of my personal beliefs related to my faith count only for the decisions I make for myself, and no one else. Women have the right to choose what's best for them. ~ AParchaeology @AParchaeology12
Hey. I am absolutely and firmly for reproductive rights. And my faith is a huge part of why. ~ Renee Rhodes SparklesDizzy symbol @RaeDeAnneR
Hey, I’m a Christian who supports reproductive rights, in part because of my own experiences with gestational diabetes, high BP during delivery, miscarriage, post-partum depression, and permanent changes to my body that are never described in the “pro-life” pamphlets.~ acme @AnneCME
Hey, preacher’s kid (also preacher’s grandkid, great-grandkid, and great-great-grandkid) here — I absolutely believe in reproductive rights, full stop. ~ Danielle Fuentes Morgan @mos_daf
I'm a Christ follower. I am now & have always believed in reproductive rights. I'm also feminist, LGBTQ+ supportive, BLM, and support everyone's right to worship, or not worship, any way they choose. I don't get why this is so difficult for people to accept. ~ Hankenstein @twodogsmama
Catholic Pro Choice. Plus a man so I believe my voice should be way down on the list of who should be listened to. ~ RealMarkRaming @RealMarkRaming
Heyyyyyyyyy — I’m a Christian who believes abortion should be safe, legal and accessible to everyone. Reproductive care is healthcare and my God heals the sick. So that’s that. ~ Ben Brown @Benjtbrown
I believe in God. I also believe that every woman should have access to birth control and safe abortions should she need or want either one. ~ Amanda (Swanson) Goff Sunflower @slamsonite