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Pro-abortion groups demand that Illinois hold anti-abortion ‘fake clinics’ accountable

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, May 12, 2023
 

CHICAGO, IL -- Anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy centers” (CPCs) are an immediate and ongoing threat to people’s right to control their own bodies, including here in Illinois. This week our legislature passed SB1909, the “Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act,” a critical first step toward holding CPCs accountable for deceptive practices and harmful disinformation. The bill now goes to Governor Pritzker’s desk, who has said he’ll sign it.

 

With a march and rally this Saturday, abortion rights advocates are working to inform the public that all people seeking abortion care in Illinois will likely soon have more rights to counter the deceptions promoted by CPCs.

WHAT:

Advocates for abortion access are holding a rally and march to encourage all pro-abortion and pro-choice Illinoisans to actively oppose anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy centers” (CPCs), or “fake clinics” in our state. CPCs are an immediate and ongoing threat to full bodily autonomy that have been flying under the radar for far too long.

 

WHEN:

12 Noon CT on Saturday, May 13

 

WHERE:

In front of 8 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, site of one of the CPCs. March will immediately follow.

BACKGROUND:

Illinois is highly regarded as a “safe state” for abortion access, which is largely due to protective state laws that allow healthcare providers to continue offering safe and legal abortion care. 

 

“In our advocacy work raising awareness about anti-abortion ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ (CPCs), many people are shocked to learn that there are nearly 100 fake clinics in such a ‘blue’ state,” said Lisa Battisfore, Founder of Reproductive Transparency Now.

 

As of May 11, 2023, The Crisis Pregnancy Center Map lists 97 CPCs in Illinois. This means that CPCs outnumber abortion clinics in Illinois by nearly 4-to-1, based on the Guttmacher Institute’s most recent state facts.

 

“This is a problem,” Battisfore continued, “because we know that anti-abortion groups across the U.S. are attempting to position CPCs as a solution–perhaps even the solution–to the national healthcare crisis driven by abortion bans. But medical disinformation, over-the-counter pregnancy tests, and non-diagnostic limited obstetrical ultrasounds do not solve any problems for pregnant people who wish to exercise their human right to an abortion. CPCs create unnecessary problems for the most marginalized members of our communities.”

 

Illinois Senate Bill 1909 (SB1909) was introduced in the state legislature in early February, a few weeks after Care Net and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) withdrew their federal lawsuit challenging a 2021 Connecticut law, “Public Act 21-17: An act concerning deceptive advertising practices of limited services pregnancy centers.” ADF, which represented Care Net in that lawsuit, is a consistent presence in the anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ movement and is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

 

The battles for abortion access, LGBTQ rights, racial justice and full bodily autonomy for all are inextricably linked. The current ongoing attacks on medication abortion and transgender rights at the state and national levels are part of this same conversation. We march on Saturday to highlight our ongoing advocacy efforts for full bodily autonomy for all people.


Co-sponsors of the 12:00 PM STOP FAKE CLINICS rally and march include Reproductive Transparency Now (RTN), Chicago For Abortion Rights (CFAR), Gay Liberation Network (GLN), Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF), Chicago NOW, Illinois National Organization for Women, Party for Socialism and Liberation - Chicago, Indivisible Evanston, and Personal PAC.

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