I have an op-ed in today’s Politico on the decline and fall of the pro-life Democrat. Which, according to their house style is rendered “anti-abortion Democrat.” Support for legal abortion is described as “abortion rights.”

My first experience with such style guides was as a college freshman in an intro-level journalism class. Our professor, who was also a working journalist, preferred the use of “anti-abortion” in the place of “pro-life” but wanted supporters of legal abortion called “pro-choice.” I argued, unsuccessfully of course, that allowing one side to choose what it will be called but denying that choice to the other sides of the debate was inherently biased.

In my own writing, while I do at times describe people as “pro-abortion,” I tend to use “pro-life” as the label for my side of the debate and “pro-choice” for the other side. Which happens to be what advocates on both sides call themselves.