CA Commission on the Status of Women: Exposing Crisis Pregnancy Centers is a Top Priority on 2009-2010 Legislative Agenda!

The California Commission on the Status of Women (CA-CSW) has recently submitted a public policy agenda for the 2009-2010 session, which proposes legislative action to expose fake clinics! And it was with the diligent research and informed testimony of the Feminist Majority Foundation's summer 2008 intern class this past July that the CA-CSW was presented with the dangers that "crisis pregnancy centers" (CPCs) pose to young women's health.


Over the course of the summer, interns visited several crisis pregnancy centers, many located within miles of their own campuses, in order to learn more about the services offered by CPCs. Many crisis pregnancy centers had no medical personnel on staff and counselors identified themselves as trained volunteers. While in counseling sessions, many of the young women were warned about a false link between abortion and increased negative mental health problems. A study released by the American Pyschological Association in August 2008, found that there is no credible evidence that a single elective abortion of an unwanted pregnancy in and of itself causes mental health problems for adult women. Additional false information presented by CPCs includes false links between abortion and breast cancer and abortion and infertility.


The California Commission on the Status of Women is dedicated to helping "eliminate the distribution of false medical information about abortion and improve young women's access to comprehensive reproductive health care services." And as feminist student activists, who are the mouth peice for what is happening on our campuses and in our communities, we must continue to speak out against the threat that crisis pregnancy centers pose to our health and our choice!


Again, many thanks to our summer intern class for their amazing work in ensuring our voices continue to be heard!