Take a moment to imagine a lovely fall day in the Midwest. It’s that time of year when the leaves are changing and the temperatures are just starting to drop, making it the perfect time to take a stroll to the park with the kids after Sunday church service.
Suddenly, when you see a giant golden statue celebrating abortion, you’re faced with the problem of children.
That’s the dilemma facing a family in a historic neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri.
The 18-foot-tall sculpture “The Witness” by self-professed feminist artist Shahzia Sikander is on display Installed Located in the city’s Fox Park neighborhood, it’s close to two churches where families gather to worship.
The statue, a golden figure of a woman with horn-like braids, root-like arms and a collar reminiscent of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was designed to showcase women’s fight against abortion.
Let it sink in.
The artist and those who support her worship the ability to kill their own children and display it for all to see.
As a mother of four daughters, I spend a lot of time in the park. That’s where my friends and I gather to let our kids play. They are places of innocence, laughter and life. I refuse to let the death-worshipping culture change that, and neither should the St. Louis community.
This is not the only statue.
same sculpture First appearing at Madison Square Park in New York City in 2023 before heading to Texas in 2024. Sikander also created a companion sculpture, “NOW,” which was installed atop the Manhattan Courthouse, and a version was acquired by the Newark Museum of Art in New Jersey.
From New York and Texas to New Jersey and now Missouri, these monuments to so-called female empowerment are becoming increasingly visible in our public spaces.
The fact that this statue is located in multiple locations is a disturbing reflection of something our culture celebrates: death.
Abortion brings no liberation. it is deliberately Killing innocents in the womb. No amount of gilding, artistic interpretation, or feminist rhetoric can change this reality.
The idea that abortion is the pinnacle of women’s freedom is an insult to women everywhere.
I want my daughters to grow up knowing that their strength is measured by their courage, compassion, intelligence, and character, not their refusal to be mothers. I want them to know that they can pursue their dreams, build careers, raise families, and make meaningful contributions to society without sacrificing their children.
Motherhood is a profound gift that deserves to be celebrated.
In St. Louis, residents received little notice and no opportunity to voice their concerns. Even more disturbing is the sculpture’s proximity to two churches, including the historic Lecture Theater of Saint Francis de SalesIts majestic 300-foot spire has been a symbol of faith through the ages.
Fox Park is located in a residential neighborhood with deep Catholic and German-American roots, dating back more than a century. There are beautiful brick homes, a century-old church, tree-lined streets, and a small community park with a playground, paddling pool, basketball court, and dog park. It serves as a neighborhood gathering space, especially for families with children.
Why was this space chosen to host such an abomination? Does the artist seek influence?
Absolutely.
The sculpture was installed outside the headquarters of Rung for Women, a St. Louis-based nonprofit dedicated to “helping women achieve financial independence and advance their careers.” The Gateway Foundation, a local nonprofit that supports public art, is leasing the statue permanently, and Rung for Women has publicly supported its installation.
The irony is hard to ignore: An organization dedicated to helping women overcome financial barriers while providing child care and other services now has a monument telling women that abortion is essential to their success. Why not tell women they can be successful with children?
America guarantees religious freedom, and I cherish that freedom. So are we one nation under godfounded on the belief that our rights come from our Creator, starting with the right to life.
Religious freedom should not mean that we must abandon our moral beliefs or remain silent when public spaces are used to celebrate things we believe to be evil.
To many Christians, myself included, the image of this statue is deeply disturbing, even demonic. Whether or not the artist intended to convey a satanic message, we should ask why a monument that seems to glorify the destruction of innocent human life should be built where families gather and children play.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway raised concerns About installation. These concerns deserve answers.
I stand with the St. Louis families who are speaking out against this device.
We must pray and work for a future where children can walk through their communities and see monuments that commemorate the beauty of motherhood, the miracle of life, and the inherent rights of every human being.
Not abortion.
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Kimberly Byrd works at Live shootingis a national human rights organization and she is a Florida mother of four.