Abortion Gag Rule

Reproductive rights activists at the Texas State Capitol dressed as The Handmaid’s Tale characters in May of 2017 to protest anti-abortion bills. (by John Anderson)

Getting us closer to Gilead, the Trump administration last Friday made good on their promise to defund Planned Parenthood by proposing a so-called abortion "gag rule" on health clinics. The rule would force clinics to lose family planning federal funding if they merely promote abortion, or refer a patient to a health care center that provides one. As it stands, no federal tax dollars can go to abortion – the new rule would bar clinics from even suggesting an abortion appointment. That funding, referred to as Title X, helps largely young, low-income women obtain affordable wellness exams, contraception, STD testing, and cancer screenings. Planned Parenthood health centers serve 41% of patients who receive services through Title X. The move would have "devastating consequences" for women, said Dawn Laguens, executive vice president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She added that the policy is "designed to make it impossible for millions of patients to get birth control or preventive care," and to "force doctors and nurses to lie to their patients." Expect the national reproductive health organization to fight the rule.