Billboards leading to Illinois claim abortion is ‘God’s plan’

A series of billboards beginning in southern states, leading to Illinois, are promoting abortion as loving and as something God smiles upon.

Amelia Bonow, founder of “Shout Your Abortion,” tweeted that the organization wanted to reach the thousands of women traveling to Illinois for abortion. “I-55 is covered with horrific, shaming billboards,” she wrote. “[Shout Your Abortion] put up [six] good ones.” Illinois is one of several states which has made itself an abortion destination after the reversal of Roe v. Wade, with a 54% increase in abortions since last year, largely due to women traveling from out of state. The billboards referenced by Bonow are meant for those women.

These “good” billboards include messages like, “God’s Plan Includes Abortion,” “Abortion is Okay, You Know What’s Right for You,” and “Abortion is Normal, You are Loved.”

In an interview with the Memphis Flyer, Bonow said that most Americans want abortion to be legal. “We were motivated by the desire to tell people that it’s okay,” said Bonow. “You may just be used to hearing this judgment and shame and hatefulness, but that is actually not the majority. The vast majority of Americans support abortion rights.”

Yet a poll released this summer found that a majority of Americans actually support the overturning of Roe, with an increase of 2% from the same time in 2022. Furthermore, more polls have found that a vast majority of Americans — even those who otherwise support legal abortion —want it to be heavily restricted.

Unsurprisingly, abortion facility owners are excited about the billboards being erected. But Mary Kate Zander, head of Right to Life Illinois, told NPR Illinois the billboards aren’t something to celebrate, because abortion is never a good, loving thing.

“It’s obviously a high-traffic area, particularly if you are coming up from the south. And we know that there are women being sent from states off to Illinois to receive their abortions. None of this is a surprise,” she said. “And my thoughts are simply that Shout Your Abortion will always be in vain because it will never be normal to take the life of your child.”