Activists Call on Catholic Church to Denounce Pro-Life Leader After ‘Racist’ Video
Abby Jonson appears on a panel. Creative Commons photo.
Abby Johnson, the former Planned Parenthood Director turned pro-life activist, is facing backlash from both Protestant and Catholic pro-lifers after her recent video, My Biracial Boy. In the video, Johnson stands in front of a cross and delivers a monologue about mass incarceration, police brutality and fatherlessness, which some characterized as an endorsement of racial profiling.
In the video, which was promptly removed from public viewing after a wave of negative responses, Johnson began by talking about her adopted, biracial son, Jude.
“One day he is going to grow up and be a tall, probably sort of large, intimidating-looking maybe, brown man,” she said. “My other boys will probably look like nerdy white guys. I realize that I am going to have to have a different conversation with Jude than I will with my nerdy white kids, and that doesn’t make me angry. I look at statistics over emotion.”
In the video, she referenced statistics about the disproportionate population of African American males in prison, particularly for violent crimes. Saying that 70% of African American fathers do not live with their children, she attributed the discrepancy to fatherlessness. The statistic comes from a commonly cited 1992 study that found at that time, 70% of black children were born to unmarried parents. Later studies linked father absence to increased rates of incarceration. According to 2013 CDC data, black fathers were the most involved in their children’s daily lives, and slightly more than half of black fathers live with their children.
“Because of the statistics police officers know in their head, they are going to know that statistically, my brown son is more likely to commit a violent offense over my white sons,” she said. Police officers subsequently being more “careful” around Jude than her white sons “doesn’t make me angry, It makes that police officer smart,” she stated.
Johnson could not be reached with a request for comment.
Shortly after Johnson’s video was released, Jennifer Morson, a Catholic freelance writer who has spoken openly about her experience with the pro-life movement, published an open letter to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and other pro-life organizations.
The letter calls for the church and faith-related pro-life groups to “cease promoting Abby Johnson, her book, her film, and all associated ministries.” The letter characterizes Johnson's behavior as “continuous” and cites previous incidents of racism.
Johnson has been a prominent figure in the religious pro-life movement for over a decade. In her memoir, Unplanned, she talks about her experience resigning from Planned Parenthood after looking at an ultrasound and having a revelation about the realities of abortion. In 2019, the evangelical production and distribution company Pure Flix released a film adaptation of the memoir by the same name.
The controversial picture grossed $26 million worldwide and gained significant traction among evangelical groups and churches. Some medical professionals pushed back against the accuracy of the depictions of abortion, describing the film as political “propaganda.”
In her years of advocacy, Johnson has made a career of speaking and writing, often appearing in front of churches and faith-based organizations.
In 2018, pro-life leader Kristen Walker Hatten emerged as a self-described “ethnonationalist,” promoting white supremacist ideology. While Live Action and Lila Rose, leading figures in the pro-life movement, quickly denounced Hatten and banned her from writing for the organization, Johnson initially defended Hatten on social media.
She later released an apology stating: “I did make a comment giving a friend the benefit of the doubt instead of actually looking into what was said and how hurtful her words had been.”
Morson’s open letter also makes quick mention of a Twitter spat Johnson had with black minister and president of the Springfield NAACP, Reverend Talbert Swan II. During the feud, Swan called Johnson “Becky,” a slang term occasionally used to describe a smug, racist woman. In retaliation, Johnson called Swan “Tyrone.”
Morson’s open letter has since gained over 2,000 signatures and continues to build traction on social media channels.
Morson described the letter’s design as deliberately non-controversial. Despite the various political divides within the pro-life movement, she hoped to create a universal condemnation of racist behavior that could be widely endorsed by faith leaders and activists.
“I don’t care if you are a Libertarian, or Republican or Marxist. I don’t care. The point is this is objectively racist behavior and no one should be promoting it,” she said.
The USCCB has not publicly responded to the open letter or a request for comment.
In the wake of these developments, some members of the Christian pro-life movement are calling on activists to abandon traditional, religious organizations and seek out secular movements that are more intentional about combating racism.
Rehumanize International, a secular, bipartisan nonprofit that advocates for a “consistent life ethic,” has gained increasing traction in the past few days. The organization opposes abortion, police violence, racism, and all acts of aggression that “oppose human dignity.”
Rehumanize International’s Facebook page views have increased 40% above average and their page likes are up 70% in the past few days.
Aimee Murphy, the founder of the organization, has known Johsnon since 2013.
“We were friends, close enough that I stayed at her house for a week when I was visiting Texas,” Murphy said. “I have to say, I’m really disappointed, but I’m not surprised [by her actions]. It is inconsistent to say you are against violence in the womb but okay with racial profiling, which leads to violence. We, as the pro-life movement, have to do better. We have to advocate for life holistically.”
Liza is a student at The King’s College, an editorial intern with Religion Unplugged, and a religion columnist for The Empire State Tribune.