Select Page

Abortion-related comedy as a political ‘weapon’ on the rise in UK and US

An article on the BBC makes the case that abortion related comedy is on the rise and can be used as a means to advance pro-abortion politics.

The author suggests that the growth in abortion related comedy arises from the increase in abortion related political activity. This year, for example, the Parliament in Westminster voted to impose abortion on Northern Ireland, and abortion has exploded as one of the principle dividing lines in American politics.

As the abortion debate goes on the across the Western world, the author argues that “comedy is being used as a weapon.”

Making her case, the author says that the subject of the abortion jokes is not abortion itself but those “who don’t respect the rights of the individual [to have an abortion],” and goes on to document the growth in abortion related comedy both in the UK and US, through theatre, television and film.

At the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for example, a number of comedians, both from the US and the UK, make jokes about abortion or even centre comedy sketches around the topic. This year, one comedian, Jena Friedman performed the show called ‘Miscarriage of Justice’ at the Festival which contains a satire on the Roe vs Wade decision which made abortion legal throughout the US.

“I could do a whole show about abortion… I’m trying to find humour in stuff that I don’t find funny” Friedman said.

Another comedian at the Festival, Tiff Stevenson, performs a show which opens with her “origin story” of having an abortion at 17. At the same time, in A Womb of One’s Own, a comic play by Claire Rammelkamp, four identically dressed women act (and dance) out her experience of having an abortion as a student.

As abortion-related comedy is on the rise in theatre, it is also growing on Netflix and television.

American stand-up, Michelle Wolf, performed a ‘salute to abortion’ in her Netflix show ‘The Break’, in which – dressed up in a stars-and-stripes leotard – she throws handfuls of glitter into the air and yells “God bless abortions and God bless America!” The Break was not renewed for a second season.

Netflix’s ‘Sex Education’ also contains a string of off-the-cuff jokes about abortion. Abortion as a subject of humour is also found in film, most notably in the 2014 comedy-drama, Obvious Child.

Spokesperson for Right To Life UK Catherine Robinson said:

“ONS and Department of Health figures show that almost 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in abortion. This is clearly not a funny matter but deeply distressing and sad. The growth of abortion-related ‘comedy’ is a naked attempt to normalise a procedure which so many women find deeply traumatic.”

“Despite the growth in this kind of ‘comedy’, it is far from mainstream, as most people recognise, whether pro-life or pro-abortion, that there is nothing funny about abortion. That the BBC would publish such an article, is itself revealing of their priorities.”

URGENT
APPEAL
to protect vulnerable lives

Help stop three major anti-life threats.

Help fight major assisted suicide and abortion up to birth threats.

Dear reader,

Despite the Leadbeater assisted-suicide Bill passing its Third Reading on 20 June, it scraped through by just 23 votes (314-291) after enjoying a 55-vote majority at Second Reading. Had 12 more MPs switched sides, the Bill would be dead. It now limps into the Lords with a wafer-thin majority, where peers can amend, delay or reject it outright.

THE CHALLENGE

Dignity in Dying, My Death My Decision and Humanists UK have poured millions into pushing assisted suicide and will fight hard to stop the Lords overturning the Bill.

At the same time, the Antoniazzi abortion-up-to-birth amendment, passed by MPs in June, also heads to the Lords. If it becomes law, it would no longer be illegal for women to perform their own abortions for any reason – including sex-selective purposes – and at any point up to and during birth.

We will be up against the UK’s largest abortion providers, BPAS and MSI Reproductive Choices (formerly Marie Stopes), who are expected to push for even more extreme changes to our abortion laws in the Lords.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

Thousands of vulnerable lives are now at stake. Battling these two threats is the biggest and most expensive effort in our history, and has drained our limited resources. To fight effectively on both fronts, we aim to raise £200,000 by midnight this Sunday (13 July 2025).

Every donation, large or small, will help protect lives, and UK taxpayers can add 25p to every £1 through Gift Aid at no extra cost.

Will you make a donation now to help protect vulnerable lives from these major threats?

URGENT
APPEAL
to protect vulnerable lives

Help stop three major anti-life threats.

Help fight major assisted suicide and abortion up to birth threats.