Dueling Column: Crisis pregnancy centers are harmful to women

Belen Sassone/Staff Writer

The recent decisions made by the Supreme Court have left a large group of people in the United States feeling hopeless. On top of this, the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy may give President Trump the chance to elect a conservative judge to the court, leaving more people on edge.

He is expected to release his pick on Monday, July 9 but it is up to Congress to decide if he can actually appoint that person. Many are expecting the Republican-majority Congress to allow him to do this. In the past, Trump has expressed that he would pick another conservative judge if he had the opportunity. He has already had the chance to appoint Neil Gorsuch.

One of the more controversial decisions from the Supreme Court was made on Tuesday when the justices ruled that crisis pregnancy centers should have free speech protections and were allowed to continue operating.

This is an unfortunate outcome that not only sets our society backwards in time, but also permits dishonest behavior.

These centers are all over America, disguised as actual clinics that help pregnant women review all of their options. However, when these women walk in, they’re given medically inaccurate information and convinced that having an abortion is dangerous for their health.

Often, women are told in these so-called “clinics” that abortions may lead to infertility and cancer among other things.

Crisis pregnancy centers target women who are in dire need of actual options. They may go to these locations scared and unsure of what their next steps should be. Sometimes they’re not necessarily seeking an abortion, but by not informing them of everything that can be done in their situation, the centers are doing wrong.

These centers are conveniently placed near actual clinics such as Planned Parenthood and painted to be the same thing. When you actually enter, people in white medical coats and scrubs cite the Bible and pretend to be licensed doctors.

With the separation of church and state being so important in the United States, it’s confusing to me that these people have been getting away with lying to women for so long on the basis of religion.

Along with this unfortunate ruling, the fate of Roe v. Wade also lies on the balance.

With one more conservative judge on the bench, it’s very likely that the decision will be overturned and left up to the states to decide. If this occurs, then women will be left with even less places to turn to for help.

Women in states that ban abortion will be forced to travel to receive the procedure, making it difficult or impossible for poor women to receive the treatment they need.

Since the right for women to have multiple options during pregnancy are being threatened, advocates for reproductive freedoms have encouraged women to go to their doctors and get IUD’s before that gets scrapped too.

While it’s sad that it has come to this, it might be the best solution for the situation that all women find themselves in, at least for now.

When looking at the way things are changing in the court, it’s difficult not to think of the other decisions that could be overturned as well. While it’s just a waiting game for now, those who are terrified of what could happen are prepared to fight until we have a fair country again.

 

Read the other side: SCOTUS decision is a victorious win for freedom of speech.

 

DISCLAIMER:

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.

 

Photo by Martha Dominguez on Unsplash.