‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ Went Too Easy on Fake Pregnancy Clinics

Article originally appeared in Rewire on May 12th, 2021

Maleeha, 27, is an abortion storyteller with We Testify and the community organizer at Texas Equal Access Fund, an abortion fund serving the northern region of Texas. Years ago, when she found out she was pregnant, she knew she needed a medication abortion and wanted to confirm her length of pregnancy in a way that protected her privacy while using her father’s insurance. Her cousin shared a list of low-cost clinics she found through a Google search, and one—unbeknownst to them—was a Dallas-based crisis pregnancy center, White Rose Women’s Center

“I was like, ‘Oh, hey, this one’s not too far from where I live,’” Maleeha said. She immediately recognized the center as Christian-based from the biblical imagery, including a statue of Jesus, all of which made her feel uncomfortable in a presumed health-care setting as a person who doesn’t hold those beliefs.