Fact Check

Did President Obama Order Mother's Day Be Used to Celebrate Abortions?

"Obama signed the ‘Patriot Freedom of Womb Liberty Act’ which would add a new holiday, the ‘National Abortion Freedom Day’ to the already established Mother’s Day holiday."

Published May 9, 2016

 (White House)
Image Via White House
Claim:
U.S. President Barack Obama issued an order for abortions to be celebrated on Mother's Day.

Origin

On May 8, 2016, an article reporting that U.S. President Barack Obama had ordered abortions were to be celebrated on Mother's Day as part of a new 'National Abortion Freedom Day' was posted on Facebook via "Fox News The FB Page":

fox news the fb page

As families all across America sit down to Mother’s Day brunch, President Obama plans to make use of the popular holiday to “celebrate reproductive diversity” and “honor mothers who exercise their reproductive freedoms.”

In a ceremony Sunday morning Obama signed the ‘Patriot Freedom of Womb Liberty Act’ which would add a new holiday, the ‘National Abortion Freedom Day’ to the already established Mother’s Day holiday.

An examination of the image that appeared with the story provided more evidence that it was fake. The group pictured in the photograph was not "celebrating abortions" outside of a Planned Parenthood; rather, they were a group of juggalos (fans of hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse) and the image has been circulating online since at least 2014:

insane clown posse

Although Fox News The FB Page is deliberately styled to visually mimic the official Fox News Facebook page, the two entities are not affiliated. Fox News The FB Page appears to be the social media presence of website TDTAlliance.com, which primarily exists to satirize actual Fox News reporting and has published fake stories about Carly Fiorina, Bernie Sanders, and President Obama.

Dan Evon is a former writer for Snopes.