A Michigan man started a pro-life organization specifically for men after finding out none had existed before.
Andy Griffith is a licensed EMT and EMS coordinator from Ida Township in Monroe County in the state of Michigan. Four years ago, he established the first pro-life organization for men after a quick search online revealed that none had existed before.
According to Monroe News, Griffith was looking to join a pro-life group specifically for men but soon found out that none had existed. When he learned that the domain www.prolifeman.org was available to purchase, he decided to go on and establish his own pro-life group for men.
The result was Pro Life Man, a national, virtual organization based in Monroe County that was founded by Griffith in the Fall of 2018. In January, the organization expanded to include Fort Hope, a support program for men who suffer the effects of abortion.
"I was personally convicted that I needed to do more in the pro-life movement," Griffith, who is a member of the Redeemer Fellowship Church of Monroe, explained. "I needed to save babies from abortion."
The motto of Pro Life Man is "No Longer Silent" and the organization is geared towards men. Griffith explaiend the need to "change the idea that since men don't have a uterus they can't have an opinion on abortion."
Griffith said that his belief is simple: "abortion kills a human child." Because of this, he "can't be silent" and would like to "encourage other men to be no longer silent too."
"Our No. 1 mission is to be the voice for pre-born sons and daughters. We say 'sons and daughters' to rehumanize the child in the womb," Griffith explained. "Our No. 2 mission is [to] provide help and healing to men."
Pro Life Man does not hold in-person events but instead uses online venues such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as radio, national podcasts, and blog postings to share its pro-life messages. Griffith said that while the group has been to local events, rallies, and marches and have held a wild game dinner fundraiser in August 2020, they are also very active online by posting memes and "[engaging] in popular culture."
The group also boasts of rebuttals to popular pro-choice and pro-abortion messages. While unplanned, the group's board is composed of licensed medical professionals, so they offer "a lot of arguments from the medical side."
Pro Life Man is composed of about 20,000 members nationally. The most visitors come from the states of Michigan, Texas and California. Establishing the group made Griffith learn that men also needed support and healing.
"Men are also impacted by abortion. Men can grieve that lost child," Griffiths mused. But establishing the group was not without hesitation. He said he prayed about it and received a message from God telling him to start the group. But he pursued the idea and even established Fort Hope, which he described as a "healing program by men, for men." So far, six men have approached the program for support. The program is also looking to connect men seeking support with a pastor.
Fort Hope's vice president, Thomas White, who is also an EMT, was described by Griffith as a man with "tremendous compassion and empathetic heart" who "does so well with supporting others." He added that by connecting men with pastors, they are able to make support "more long-term."
