In state-level referendums, abortion activists have a significant advantage in controlling the narrative. The mainstream media, including organizations like Planned Parenthood, covers abortion stories from a pro-abortion perspective. This biased coverage assumes that abortion is healthcare and undermines the pro-life movement.
The media’s use of dehumanizing language when referring to pre-born children in the womb is a deliberate tactic. By not acknowledging the pro-life worldview that recognizes the unborn as unique, whole, living human beings, the media perpetuates a distorted narrative.
A recent court battle in Texas exemplifies this bias. A mother sued to have her baby aborted after a diagnosis of trisomy 18, a genetic disorder. Rather than framing the story as eugenics, where a child is terminated due to imperfections, the media presented it as an injustice that the mother couldn’t access an abortion.
CNN’s headline, “Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocks woman from getting an emergency abortion,” distorted the situation. The “emergency” was that the mother didn’t want to carry a baby with trisomy 18, not a threat to her health. The media carefully used terms like “her fetus” and quoted her lawyer calling attempts to stop the abortion a “miscarriage of justice.”
Pro-life legislators must be prepared for the media’s onslaught in support of the abortion movement. They are actively seeking more story subjects to advance their agenda.
In contrast to the media’s bias, there are pro-life groups with significant followings on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook). Live Action, for example, garners millions of views on their videos that expose the truth about abortion procedures. Abortion activists aim to restrict these avenues for pro-life impact and truth-sharing.
House Democrats recently called on Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk to combat the spread of “abortion misinformation and disinformation” on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X. They claimed that anti-choice individuals and groups were promoting inaccurate medical information and false content about abortion. The Democrats demanded swift action from Zuckerberg and Musk to address this alleged pro-life “misinformation.”
Essentially, Democrats want social media companies to operate under the assumption that the abortion movement is correct, mirroring the bias found in mainstream media. They want to control the narrative by silencing pro-life voices online. If successful, pro-lifers would be left with limited avenues to reach people, forcing them to take their message to the streets.
Pro-life advocates must counter this bias and engage with the public directly. By sharing accurate information and promoting a culture of life, they can challenge the deceptive narrative perpetuated by the media and social media giants. The battle for hearts and minds continues, and pro-lifers must adapt to these challenges to protect the unborn and promote a society that values every human life.
