I am a proud conservative woman because I whole-heartedly believe in the conservative movement and what it represents. I believe in the right to life, the right to bear arms, free markets, fiscal responsibility and, most importantly, free speech which celebrates intellectual diversity and constructive conversation so that I am able to freely speak about these beliefs. Being a conservative has molded me into a young woman who is able to stand up for her passionate beliefs, no matter who is standing against her. Once I started to develop conservative ideals, I quickly realized that I would also have to develop skills that would allow me to present sound arguments and stand up to the liberal bias that surrounded me.

I have found that conservative women are often negatively labeled by groups that claim to lift women. It’s hard for me to lay witness to thousands of stereotypes being placed upon the shoulders of conservative women, but empowering to watch how we shatter every single one.

Bigoted? The conservative women I know are fueled by a quest for knowledge. And they yearn to form opinions on issues that stay consistent with the values they hold dear.
Out-of-touch? Kelly Anne Conway certainly wasn’t out of touch when she earnestly worked to understand the issues that mattered to Americans in 2016 and became the first woman to ever manage a successful presidential campaign.

Anti-woman? This one just may be the kicker because it so clearly displays the hypocrisy on the left. Stereotyping women who do not label themselves as feminists does not promote equality and the advancement of women.

Abortion is the issue that drives me most. As a pro-life woman, these insults can be heard frequently. I believe, as Saint Teresa of Calcutta said, “it is poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish”. The explanations people give for why they are pro-choice often do not make sense and people refuse to look at the whole picture. Political discussion becomes so much about the narrative that can be created, rather than an honest conversation.

I think Kelly Anne Conway has been a trail blazer for millions of conservative women. The most important skill she has taught me is to be undeniably educated on the issues you are discussing. Know your stuff, and if they still cast insult your way, you can remain confident in your argument. They insult because your knowledge and belief system is somehow intimidating or threatening to them. Conway said “nothing creates a winner quite like earning it, not just inheriting it.” I believe this is the task conservative women are given. We have to earn the respect of others and create our own success. I have observed a value in conservative women that is almost inherent—our ability to fight on no matter the efforts of others to silence us. Our value system has taught us that nobody else is standing on the sidelines to fight for our values, so we must do it ourselves. Conway perfectly embodies these values and is a role model to myself and conservative women throughout the nation.

Learning to truly be a proud, conservative woman can be a grueling yet enriching process, and I think anyone who tells you differently isn’t being completely honest. It doesn’t come easy. Or maybe it does…until the first time you are called anti-woman for sharing your values and beliefs. The divisive language the left torches at conservative women is disheartening. However, there is irony in the name-calling that allows their weakness to be our secret weapon. Every time they throw an insult our way, they’re making us stronger, fueling our fires, clearly setting our eyes on why our values are needed in this divided nation and why we should never stop standing up for what we believe. There comes a time in every conservative woman’s life when she stops letting these stereotypes defeat her, and begins using them to make her stronger.

I’ve come to understand the political culture in America today has fostered an environment for individuals to call a person names every time they don’t agree with them or even worse—every time they are worried that just maybe their opinion isn’t right. What happened to open dialogues and intellectual diversity? The current state of partisanship and divisive dialogue is certainly disheartening, but I believe it also teaches us an important lesson. We can’t truly take any of our rights and liberties for granted because, if these last few years have taught us anything, they can disappear in the blink of an eye. Conservative women fight for these rights and liberties and are willing to try and understand other’s viewpoint. I feel empowered to be a part of such a strong, intelligent, a capable group of women.