Gen Z leads every generation on markers of progressive politics: support for more expansive government, LGBTQ+ identification, and even a rejection of religion—especially among young women.
Maybe our parents are right about those phones: In 2026, social media and video networks became the world’s most widely used news source. More people than ever now get news and political analysis from social media influencers.
But all is not lost. Amid polarizing and misleading narratives, one genre is booming: debate.
YouTube shows like Jubilee and Dr. Daf draw huge audiences; Charlie Kirk’s “Surrounded” episode has 44 million views. At their best, these debates expose viewers to opposing arguments.
I would know. I participated in one.
On July 25, I filmed an episode of the Dr. Daf show, titled “1 Pro-Choice woman vs 20 Pro-Life Women.” It aired on Aug. 22 on YouTube. Even more, our debate opponent was an influencer who got famous for debating Charlie Kirk in his Jubilee episode.
TRENDING ARTICLES
You may remember an infamous video clip of the debate, in which Kirk told Naima that “fetus” means “little baby” in Latin, a point she answered by mocking his appearance. All that being said, I was expecting Naima to bring the same sort of attitude during our debate—and she did. Sort of. Let me explain.
The Backstory
I’ve been posting videos online since high school, mainly on conservative politics, social issues, and religion. Pro-life advocacy has always been a major tenet of my online presence. Long story short, this brief stint in the “influencer” space created connections that ultimately opened the door for an opportunity to participate in a debate on the Dr. Daf show.
Not long after accepting, my teammates and I had found out who we were going to debate: Naima Troutt, an influencer who has made regular appearances on the Jubilee YouTube channel—and one of Kirk’s former “rivals.”
How did we figure it out? Naima told us herself—indirectly, that is. She was streaming about her upcoming debate for her followers and even sharing her thought process and talking points with them. We were well studied and prepared.
But then, an email went out that had unintentionally revealed the identity of some of the pro-life women. Naima, ecstatic about this new information, streamed about it to her followers and found the social media accounts of some of the pro-life women. She even mocked the appearances not only of the women, but of their husbands and fiancées. She told her followers that she intended to be rude to us and that she expected us to be stupid.
She was certainly in for a surprise.
The Debate
As in any debate, there were certainly tense moments: questions evaded, red herrings, and a refusal to let some people speak. You can watch the full debate here.
But as the debate progressed, the tension cooled down and ultimately culminated in a heartwarming experience for us all. The pro-life women acted with charity and grace, and one of us—Anne Farnes—shared her story about how she found out that she was conceived in rape. Rather than confront Naima with a “faces don’t care about your feelings” approach, she listened to her concerns and story and affirmed the value of her life, too.
When the debate concluded, a pro-life woman on our team, Heather, surprised Naima with a gift: a card all of us had signed, along with a cash gift for her upcoming move. Naima was shocked—so much so that she apologized to us for her behavior on livestream before the debate.
But that wasn’t all. She ultimately took to her social media and shared a moving video about her experience, stating that—in her words—she “was wrong” about us. She thought pro-lifers would be mean and ignorant; we prepared with research, strong arguments, and, most importantly, a respectful demeanor. She even told one of us that she has a newfound respect for the pro-life movement since the debate.
This, from one of the “woke college students” who debated Kirk, was amazing to hear. In an age when political polarization can boil over to the point of violence, it is crucial to remain anchored in the truth of the innate human dignity of every debater. Arguments should be dismantled, not people.
Ultimately, the debate with Naima was a refreshing reminder that, at the end of the day, all of us are still human. And it reminded me of the importance of dialogue—engaging with the other side—not only as I seek to change hearts and minds, but as I seek to develop and refine my positions.
The world is a better place when we make the space for healthy disagreement. When we invite dialogue, debate, and discussion—just like Charlie Kirk did. As conservatives, I hope we can take the loving attitude of these pro-life women into every debate we engage in.
It might turn out to be one of the strongest arguments we could make.
Read the first chapter of The Woketopus right now for FREE
Today, even with President Trump’s victory, leftist elites have their tentacles in every aspect of our government.
The Daily Signal’s own Tyler O’Neil exposes this leftist cabal in his new book, The Woketopus: The Dark Money Cabal Manipulating the Federal Government.
In this book, O’Neil reveals how the Left’s NGO apparatus pursues its woke agenda, maneuvering like an octopus by circumventing Congress and entrenching its interests in the federal government.
You can read the first chapter of this new book for FREE in this eBook, The Woketopus: Chapter One using the secure link below.
TRENDING ARTICLES
The Daily Signal depends on the support of readers like you.
RELATED ARTICLES
Don’t miss the
Don’t miss the signal
