Last week, Reproaction took direct action to call out anti-abortion fake clinics in Missouri. The first action was outside of the My Life Clinic in Columbia on Thursday, March 22. The second action was co-organized with NARAL Pro-Choice Missouri and took place in St. Louis outside an anti-abortion fake clinic that is known as ThriVe Express Women’s Clinic, one of three in Missouri. These actions took place just days after the oral arguments for the NIFLA v. Becerra Supreme Court case. The case will address the California FACT Act, which ensures that pregnant women have access to honest, accurate healthcare information.

Anti-abortion fake clinics are shady, anti-abortion fake clinics that pose as legitimate health clinics, but operate with the sole purpose to deter pregnant people from choosing to have an abortion. In Missouri many of them are categorized as religious organizations, however this categorization does not stop the state legislature from funding these clinics through tax credits and federal TANF funds intended to alleviate hunger. That’s right, Missourians pay for these fake clinics to mislead and outright lie to pregnant women about their healthcare options! Anti-abortion fake clinics are protected by law in Missouri, so they do not have to reveal how they spend their funds or detail what services they actually provide. In addition, Missouri law requires actual healthcare clinics have to inform patients that these fake clinics are a viable options from which they can receive healthcare assistance.

In 2015, the state legislature in California stepped up to limit the capacity of fake clinics in their state to mislead women into thinking they were actual healthcare facilities by passing the Reproductive Fact Act. Since anti-abortion fake clinics are the brainchild of the pro-life movement, organizations opposed to abortion access have challenged the California law. The Supreme Court’s ruling in NIFLA V. Becerra could have implications that extend beyond California, so Reproaction showed where we stand by doing what we do best: TAKING IT TO THE STREETS!

There were seven fine folks at the action in Columbia, and over 50 who showed up in St. Louis to hold anti-abortion fake clinics accountable. The weather was sunny with blue skies in Columbia, and although it was not as beautiful a day in St. Louis, we made it work. Huge thanks to everyone who came out to #ExposeFakeClinics and #EndTheLies!

To keep up with upcoming direct-actions in Missouri click here.

Like/Follow us: Twitter  Facebook  Instagram

Check out photos from these actions below:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.