Crowdfunding platform GoFundMe has been in the news a lot recently for the controversial campaigns that it allows, including a fundraiser for Darren Wilson, the Ferguson police officer who killed Michael Brown. Last week, it pulled a number of campaigns, saying that they contained “subject matter that GoFundMe would rather not be associated with.” One of the pages taken down belonged to a Chicago woman known as Bailey, who used the site to raise money for an abortion, as she felt financially unable to support a baby and the pregnancy was developing complications.
Initially, GoFundMe took down the page because it was flagged for adult language and restored it when the language was removed. Now, it’s permanently deleted. GoFundMe “reviews campaigns that have received a high number of complaints on a case-by-case basis,” and we can only assume that a page called “Bailey’s Abortion Fund” drew a very high number of complaints.
This week, GoFundMe took its decision a step further and issued a revised content policy that put a blanket ban on campaigns that are “associated with or relating to” abortions. What’s more, on the list of banned content, abortion isn’t listed as a medical campaign, but as a “Termination of Life” campaign, the same distinction made by anti-choice activists. The policy has so far been selectively enforced. As of today, there are still over 100 active campaigns for abortion-related causes, most of them anti-choice. In a statement to Salon, GoFundMe said that it doesn’t intend to place “restrictions on a pro-life or pro-choice group’s ability to fundraise for rallies or protests.” It also tried to explain away any political implications behind the policy, saying that it intends “to protect our brand from certain materials and subject matter whose proponents span the political spectrum. For example, GoFundMe may not be used to fund an abortion or to purchase firearms,” as though the two are equitable causes.
Along with obvious bans on criminal acts and illicit drug use, the policy prohibits campaigns that involve gambling, sorcery, “bodily mutilation,” marijuana and anything in “the adult industry.” It reveals a moral stance that narrowly defines the “positive environment” GoFundMe seeks to foster. For what it’s worth, in proactive accordance with its ban on “criminal defense funds relating to violent, hateful or sexual acts,” GoFundMe also shut down a campaign for Daniel Holtzclaw, the Oklahoma City officer accused of sexual assault against a number of Black women. GoFundMe did forward the money that had already been raised to both Bailey and Holtzclaw, but keep in mind that it also keeps 5% of every donation. As of now, Darren Wilson’s page for his concluded campaign is still up. GoFundMe may have the tagline “Crowdfunding for Everyone!” but in the past week it’s made clear exactly what kind of respectable “everyone” it would rather associate with — and the fact that it seems to consider a legal medical procedure less respectable than the killing of an unarmed boy.
Sorcery? Really? Was that a thing people tried to crowdfund?
if i were a sorcerer i would probably try to crowdfund my materials?
Oh man… I saw this story the other day and I am glad I did not have to encounter this when I used gofundme for this particular reason. I can’t imagine the stress she must be going through right now.
Right? So stressful! I hope that she at least received the money that had been donated before the campaign was shut down. Does anyone know if this is the case?
It says in the article she was forwarded the money(minus the sites usually 5% fee)) her page and raised until it was shut down.
I get the drugs, but cannabis? I think that should be fine if you live in say Colorado or Washington, only if tt’s used for a useful purpose(like research, or to start a company), and not just I want to get high dude.
On the topic of hand, really? So, one can fun say a nose job, or possibility implants(seen that one on kickstarter once), but not something like a planned procedure like abortion? Does kickstarter allow things such as abortion procedures to occur?
BTW, what do they considered “bodily mutilation?” If a trans person posts they are saving up for hormones and surgery, will their fundme project get stopped, or is that okay? Because, I know the anti-trans groups generally classify surgery and hormones in the category of “bodily mutilation.”
I have the same questions about trans fundraisers. GoFundMe is a very popular site for these campaigns. Given their stance on abortion pages but not anti-choice pages it is very concerning.
This is really disappointing; while I don’t necessarily regret supporting some causes I’ve found on GoFundMe, I’m a little upset to know a percentage of my money was going to fund this…mess.
On a less serious note – like, what would a fundraiser for sorcery entail?
Damn, does that mean I can’t raise money for my Wiccan books? Jk, I finally have a job so I can pay for them myself!
gofundme’s new policy reminds me of that pat robertson quote about feminism as an evil of socialism encouraging women to kill their children, practice witchcraft, and become lesbians.
but srsly, these crowdfunding sites have been maintaining a dreadful standard as far as what campaigns they’ll take down vs what is actually promoting vile shit. despicable.
petition to create a sub-autostraddle dedicated to sorcery
we would need to crowdfund it probably though
(i like “sorcery” so much better than “witchcraft” because when i say things about witches/witching/witchery i don’t mean to get involved with actual paganism or wicca? so now i can just talk about sorcery instead this is great)
….i want a patch that says amateur sorcerer…. i’m really taking this and running with it. OOH! another idea! sorcerers-only crowdfunding site
Ha! Reminds me of Adventure Time’s “Wizards only, fools”. Yes, I’m in full support of crowdsourced sorcery.
“crowdsourcery”
best
Why stop there? Sorcerers-only internet, here we come!
…I really want to be a sorcerer. :(
By doing this, GoFundMe has blatantly revealed their political persuasion which seems ironic considering their supposedly cautious language in justifying this bullshit. Promoting Hate Speech = totes not political. Complying with legal medical practices = “controversial”.
It’s awful that they would restrict abortion funding. And sorcery? Really? They can’t fund witchcraft? They are stopping the funding of things that HARM NO ONE