It’s that time of the year. It’s time for the people at the top, the politicians, and talking heads – the people most disconnected from the lives of the average person – to debate whether having a uterus strips away our right to bodily autonomy. Isn’t that wonderful?

   An argument I keep hearing, in reference to the leaked documents concerning a possible overturning of Roe v. Wade,  is that “our society is moving backwards.” And yes, to overturn one of the most important court cases regarding reproductive rights is quite archaic. But here’s what’s worse – I have a feeling that it’s not “our society” that’s moving backwards. It’s the pathetic bits of political theater in Congress, the utter inaction from the Executive, and the alarming politicization of the Supreme Court.

   According to The Hill, about 64 percent of Americans want the previous Roe v. Wade decision to stay put (upholding abortion rights). Why is it that, all of a sudden, a couple of conservative-leaning justices can change the course of the future? Obviously, the Supreme Court doesn’t base its decisions off of public opinion (in fact, that would be alarming). But, this whole thing seems like an elaborate political agenda on the part of pro-life conservative Christians. I mean, why else would someone who claims to believe in “loving thy neighbor” vote for Donald Trump if not for the sole possibility of nominating some pro-life Supreme Court justices?

   If you find yourself arguing with a pro-lifer, here are my dos and don’ts. Do not argue over the semantics of whether an unborn fetus is alive or not. It’s beside the point. The real question is if it’s a person. Does this entity that hasn’t even left the womb yet have personhood? No. Sure, it has the potential to be a person at some point, but the fact remains that it is not a person before being born.

   Do discuss bodily autonomy. It’s the best way to say, hey, you can argue with me all day about whether this clump of cells is alive or not, but do you think that those capable of pregnancy should have the right to govern their own bodies?

   I leave you with this note. Stop centering this conversation around cisgender white women. This fight is for all people with uteruses (not just women, but non-binary people, trans men, and many others). This is not the time to put on your pink yarn beanie and your Hillary Clinton pins, posting politician-worshiping infographics on Instagram. This is not the time to blindly look up to politicians, not even Democrats, as they have failed us by not codifying abortion rights into law thus far, dangling Roe in front of us like a carrot on a stick to win our votes. This is the time to educate yourself, donate and fundraise for abortion access in states in dire need of it, and prepare for a long road, all the way back from square one.