05/01/2023
A former NFL player and longtime anti-abortion advocate, Watson (Under the Skin: Getting Real About Race), writing with Carol Traver, outlines an agenda for pro-life evangelicals following the 2022 Dobbs decision that overturned the constitutional right to abortion. Watson insists that, in addition to making access to abortion ever more restrictive, racism—which he considers to be a root cause for many abortions—must be addressed. He points out that Black women have a disproportionately large share of the total abortions in the United States, and they have different socioeconomic supports from white people, thanks to systemic racism. The book emphasizes that these disparities offer Black women limited options and may make abortion more of a necessity than a choice. Watson issues calls to action that range from faith-based volunteer support systems to guaranteed minimum income and reparations for racism. The author's aim is to make abortion unnecessary, but many would point out that there are lots of factors that go into someone's decision to have an abortion. VERDICT Watson challenges his evangelical audience to look beyond legal restrictions on abortion and consider more compassionate responses.—James Wetherbee
