As if “shouting your abortion” were not enough, the abortion industry in the United States has taken another turn for the worse. A relative newcomer to their ranks is the Abortion Access Front/Force (AAF), an organization that glorifies abortion while “humorously” ridiculing those who do not embrace its cause. The group’s website makes this clear:

AAF’s work is to normalize abortion, celebrate those who provide it, and fight like hell to keep it accessible and legal. By choosing Abortion Access Force, we unapologetically declare we are on the front lines of the fight and stand with the providers of abortion.

To flex their muscles, last week AAF staged a demonstration on a side street in New York City’s well-to-do Upper East Side, outside the townhouse headquarters of FEMM, a global organization that has created a fertility app to help women learn more about how their bodies function in terms of their reproductive capabilities. FEMM’s physically and medically-centered approach to sexual matters makes no reference to or recommendation concerning either contraception or abortion.

The AAF protest featured biased placards, insulting leaflets, and handouts of “Plan B,” an abortifacient—also known as the morning-after pill—which while no longer requiring a doctor’s prescription, nonetheless comes with many clinical warnings.

And what is a protest without a few rhyming chants? Theirs included “FEMM app is a trap,” “contraception not deception,” and “all the options would be nice when giving birth control advice.” Really? Then why not include FEMM’s material in your advocacy? Why, that would be a . . . choice!

AAF also urged people to write bad reviews online about the FEMM app. FEMM responded immediately on Twitter with facts about its operations, completely refuting all false and hate-filled accusations: #femmforeveryone .

While FEMM’s actual budget is relatively small, the protesters complained that the organization had received contributions from a “hedge fund manager who is anti-abortion.” Given that accusation, it would be worth looking at AAF’s finances—except that there is no information!

AAF raises money from the public even though it is not an IRS designated non-profit.

According to their website, the organization solicits donations by indicating that “Abortion Access Front is a project of NEO Philanthropy, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) public charity.”

NEO Philanthropy has been around since 1983, supports numerous left-wing social causes, and is known for “innovative philanthropic solutions.” In 2018, they raised nearly $83 million, made grants of roughly the same amount, and had year-end net assets of $43 million.

While such an arrangement is legal, it is complex, not too common, and not at all transparent.  The NEO Philanthropy website describes the type of arrangement they have with non-tax-exempt organizations such as AAF:

As a fiscal sponsor, NEO acts as an umbrella organization for an individual or project’s charitable work, and accepts and administers funds on its behalf. Fiscal sponsorship at NEO gives groups a non-profit “home” and allows them to focus on their programmatic work while NEO manages the financial, HR and legal elements, giving the projects the room they need to make a significant impact on the world.

We see ourselves as partners with the organizations we support and our interactions with our projects go far beyond the transactional. NEO’s fiscally sponsored projects have access to an entire team of highly experienced professionals and an array of services provided at a lower or more flexible cost than would be possible for these projects on their own. All fiscally sponsored projects at NEO have a mission-aligned focus on social justice and social change. We are nimble, flexible and bring significant value-added skills and resources to each project.

A minuscule protest—in more ways than one!

 AAF’s “rally” to discredit FEMM fell short of expectations. Not starting until 5PM, the street was dark, the passersby few, and, it being Thursday, the day New Yorkers place large heavy trash bags on the street for collection, sidewalk space was limited.

Only 15 strident, placard-carrying demonstrators participated. They were kept under the watchful eye of four somewhat bored looking NYC policemen. AAF president Lizz Winstead, who is a “comedienne” by profession, read a high-pitched diatribe against FEMM, full of misinformation and condemnation, for the benefit of a Twitter account. The message was clear and is underscored on AAF’s website: If you don’t accept artificial contraception and abortion, you are a “hate” organization that promotes “fake” ideas. (The next day AAF’s website showed only two retweets and four likes!)

Since when is medically accurate reproductive education for women false and hateful? Rather, it is much-needed and virtually neglected by contraceptive and abortion promoters. But as far as AAF and their ilk are concerned, contraceptive and abortion-free family planning cannot be presented as legitimate choices, apparently because it would be bad for business. Pregnant? Not ready for a child who may be too inconvenient? The pill failed? No problem! Have an abortion!

After all, a “reproductive right is a human right.” Even Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Warren have said so! What better endorsement can there be?

While the protest was advertised in advance, an unexpected special guest speaker showed up to enhance the event. State Senator Liz Kruger, whose district includes the Upper East Side, made a biased, uninformed statement, condemning FEMM for its work: “Stop deceiving women,” she shouted, sending the message that she wasn’t FEMM’s representative as she bragged about the numerous medical providers of contraception and abortion available in her district. Kruger was one of the New York State legislators who voted this past January for the most extreme pro-abortion law in the United States.

Any group that merrily embraces the deliberate extermination of life in the womb evidently does not adhere to any moral code of behavior. Subjecting those who do not advocate for abortion to ridicule, as many AAF videos and protests do, is clearly beyond the pale. What is it about dismembering tiny body parts and sticking scissors into pre-nascent skulls that could possibly be humorous?