Pennsylvania plans to end on Dec. 31 its longstanding contract with the nonprofit Real Alternatives, the first organization in the nation to secure significant state and federal subsidies to support anti-abortion counseling centers. Under the program, Real Alternatives distributed the state and federal funds to dozens of Pennsylvania centers, including Catholic Charities, anti-abortion counseling centers and maternity homes, which provide support and housing for pregnant women.

Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a statement his administration would not “continue that pattern” of subsidizing the organization, saying he was steadfast in defending abortion access.

Tens of millions of taxpayer dollars across the U.S. have been sent to such organizations, which are typically religiously affiliated. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the right to abortion last year, Republican-led states have sent more tax dollars to what are sometimes called “crisis pregnancy centers,” while Democratic-leaning states apply more scrutiny to them.

  • Potatos_are_not_friends@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Good.

    These places often disguise as places to “support women and pregnancy” and often are just places to guilt and pressure. Literally state sponsored religion.

    • query@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      If not outright kidnap people. People don’t know what they’re going in to, they don’t tell them “come here to not have an abortion”, they pretend they care about them only to do everything they can to stop them accessing healthcare.

      • dragonflyteaparty@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Not to mention lie to women until it’s too late to get an abortion. They’ll lie about things including abortion risks, the gestation of the pregnancy (so the woman will think it’s earlier when it’s not), and hide any pregnancy risks that the woman has (if they know about them at all because the staff is not medical professionals).

        • query@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Exactly. The goal is to make it impossible for them to have an abortion, not to give them the necessary information or convince them to see things their way.