by Amy Peyrot, NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland Intern
"Baltimore Finds a Common Sense Solution to Crisis Pregnancy Centers" at RH Reality Check
On Tuesday, the Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland, Jenny Blasdell, posted a blog at RH Reality Check with CEO of Planned Parenthood of Maryland, John Nugent. It explains the Limited Service Pregnancy Center Disclaimers Bill, groundbreaking legislation introduced this week in Baltimore City that would require CPCs to inform women that they do not provide or refer for comprehensive birth control services or abortion.
As you may already know, crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) are typically run by anti-choice activists who often misinform and mislead women about abortion and birth control to dissuade them from considering their full reproductive health options. In investigations of Baltimore City CPCs, NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland (NPCM) volunteers were told many lies, including:
"Condoms are ineffective and don't protect against STDs."
"Natural family planning is as effective as the Pill."
"Abortion providers are not medically trained or licensed."
Just in case there is any doubt, all of these statements are False (yes, with a capital F).
Since 2007, NPCM has been pioneering efforts to expose the deceptive practices of CPCs. It is very exciting to see a bill addressing CPCs introduced on a local level (the first of its kind in the US!). At a time when political change is moving at a snail's pace, it is reassuring to see 11 of 15 city council members co-sponsor this common-sense bill. A special thanks goes out to City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who introduced the bill.
The goal of this legislation is to ensure women are informed about the limited services offered at CPCs. Women seeking information about pregnancy, birth control, or abortion need to know what services an organization provides in order to make an informed decision about whether a facility can meet their needs.
CPCs are not just a threat to women in Baltimore City. CPCs are giving misinformation all over the nation. If you want to be an advocate for women's access to truthful, medically accurate information, inform yourself about the Myths and Facts of CPC claims . Get involved with your state NARAL affiliate . If you live in or near Maryland, join our Truth Revealed Campaign and help us educate people in Maryland about CPCs' harmful practices. Check out our upcoming volunteer opportunities in Baltimore.
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This is great because of the CPC's try to object to something like this, then it will further expose them for the anti-choice organizations they are and that it's not about helping women; that it's about deceiving them by any means necessary and treating them like objects in order to further their own agenda.
This is great because if the CPC's try to object to something like this, then it will further expose them for the anti-choice organizations they are and that it's not about helping women; that it's about deceiving them by any means necessary and treating them like objects in order to further their own agenda.
The statement "Condoms are ineffective and don't protect against STDs." is rather misleading. Since there are various STD's and different ways to contract them. Properly worn condoms are effective at protecting against HIV, HPV and gonorrhea.
Unfortunately, diseases like genital warts and herpes can be transmitted via skin contact during sex. Condoms can only protect what it can cover.
I would say that all of their statements are misleading and not only that - they know that their statements are false, the evidence and the research is there. I think they just chose to ignore it because they can. They have gotten away with it for years and years so why back down if you can get away with as much as you can? It's terrible.
Misleading was a bad choice, I should have said it was a "half-truth". While condoms can protect you from various diseases it doesn't protect you from every STD. So condoms are effective with some STD's but not with others.
Even the Myths and Facts link in the article has half-truths like:
Myth: Abstinence is the only thing that prevents pregnancy.
Fact: Numerous birth control methods have been determined to prevent pregnancy.
Abstinence is the only sure-fire 100% way to prevent pregnancy, while birth control pills and IUD's prevent pregnancy, they are not 100% guaranteed, abstinence is...no sex...no kids.
I just don't like the language they are using (both groups). It feels like I am blatantly being manipulated from both sides of an argument.
*shrug* I have never felt like I was being manipulated by the facts given by the other side of the abstinence only debate (pro-birth control) because I have not been lied to when it comes to looking up the facts about what the methods of birth control are, what the side-effects are, how effective they are, etc...while on the pro-abstinence only edu side of the debate, I have heard those kinds of lies all through my youth, having gone to a catholic school up until college. So I give one side much more respect than the other, and much more of my trust as well.
"Natural family planning is as effective as the Pill."
What makes you believe this is false? When practiced correctly, NFP is said to be 98-99% effective. (Keep in mind that NFP today refers to methods OTHER than the old-fashioned "rhythm method.")
Successful use of natural methods to prevent pregnancy depends upon:
* The accuracy of the method in identifying the woman's actual fertile days
* A couple's ability to correctly identify the fertile time
* The couple's ability to follow the rules of the method they are using
Taken from this website: http://www.irh.org/nfp.htm
I am not too confident with using a method that bases a lot of the success rate on "if you do this right then maybe..." and "perhaps if she is ovulating around here..."
And yea, if you do not use the other methods of birth control correctly, then you have a higher chance of pregnancy but I don't feel that they are on the same spectrum. Missing a pill one day compared to a couple giving into their sexual urges one day because they just feel it in the moment and want to have unprotected sex. And it happens...I know I don't usually plan when I will be having sex next, and it feels liberating not to have to do so.
Whatever bullshit they may be feeding their customers, they are at least providing stuff like baby clothes and food for disadvantaged pregnant women who wish to keep their babies.
If they really gave a shit about women, they would actually be supporting healthcare reform, that'll enhance the lives of millions of women and their children. But, unfortunately, they aren't doing that.
And they should get a pat on the back for their charity? Just because they are doing those things (and I've not seen anywhere that they are), it doesn't mean that they are pro-women. You're not pro-women if you deceive them into making decisions you think are best for them.
And do you mean to tell me pro-choice feminists aren't doing the same thing?
Let's stop being CPC apologists here.
As soon as I can, I am going to post my personal experience with a local CPC from about a year ago, when I pretended to have just gotten a college freshman pregnant and came in, asking for information.
Thank you. I was not sure how to respond to the above comment but you did it perfectly :)
I know that they are terrible things but I think what nobody was trying to point out is that unlike most anti-choicers who don't care as long as the woman doesn't get an abortion, they actually do try and help these women with the babies once they are there. I still don't like them and I don't think that it is okay what they do, but at least they aren't in the same boat as most anti-choicers who do nothing after they convince a woman not to have an abortion.