Mayday Health targets attendees at US Open with abortion pill ad

An airplane pulling an ad for abortion pills flew over the US Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York, on Saturday, shocking some fans.

Key Takeaways:

• Last weekend, Mayday Health hired a plane to fly an abortion pill advertisement over the third round of the US Open tournament at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York.

• The organization defended the ad, saying it spreads information about abortion pills at "high traffic events."

• Mayday Health gives online visitors information about where to access the abortion pill, even in states where abortion pill distribution is illegal. It does not provide information about the risks or dangers of the pill.

The Details:

According to the New York Post, the plane flew over third-round play at Shinnecock Hills for 90 minutes, pulling an ad reading, "Abortion Pill By Mail Mayday Health."

One fan told the Post that not everyone was thrilled to see the ad, saying:

“It just felt gross and divisive. I’m sure that’s exactly what this group intended, which is a real shame.

These kids kept pointing at the banner asking their parents ‘What does that say?’ And it was clear they had no clue how to respond. I mean, what do you even say?

Especially when there are so many golfers and spectators who are strong in their faith — this felt like an intentional distraction by outside agitators to undermine the tournament.”

Leo Raisner, executive director of Mayday Health, defended in an email to the Daily Caller the group's decision to fly the plane.

“Mayday Health spreads information about abortion pills at high traffic events all across the country. We want people to know that abortion pills are safe, effective and FDA approved,” he said.

Zoom Out:

Mayday Health was formed in 2022 in response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Though it doesn't directly offer the abortion pill, it operates a website that compiles a list of abortion pill businesses willing to ship the pill nationwide, even into states where abortion pill distribution is illegal.

The organization has run into legal trouble after advertising in pro-life states like South Dakota and Kentucky. Though it has historically targeted women in pro-life states, it recently launched an ad campaign at a series of laundromats in Southern California, insinuating that lower-income women likely to use the laundromats need to abort their preborn children.

The organization also misleads people into thinking that the abortion pill is safe, when the opposite is true. According to a recent analysis of a large insurance database, the abortion pill's adverse events occurred at a rate 22 times higher than the rate reported on the drug's Food and Drug Administration label. Another study found chemical abortions to be four times more dangerous than first-trimester surgical abortion. Known side effects include severe cramping, contractions, and heavy bleeding, as well as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and headaches; risks include incomplete abortion, hemorrhage, infection, and even death.

For many women, taking the abortion pill is a traumatic, life-altering experience, as shown through Live Action's I Saw My Baby campaign.

None of this information is located on Mayday's website.

The Bottom Line:

Women deserve to know the truth about the dangers of the abortion pill. An organization that spends large sums advertising a dangerous way to end the lives of preborn children, rather than putting that money toward helping pregnant women and babies, clearly does not have the best interest of women at heart.