This Anti-Choice organization held an enormous conference during the pandemic

Care Net, a network of crisis pregnancy centers, funders, staff, and other anti-choice activists, held its annual conference of 1,300 people in Florida from September 8-11.

Crisis pregnancy centers (fake medical clinics that shame and manipulate those seeking abortion care) continue to operate during COVID-19, in spite of mandated closings. They're predatory organizations which situate themselves in areas near legitimate health clinics with large populations of BIPOC. As unemployment rates climb, people seeking abortion care are more vulnerable than ever, especially as states continue to attempt to ban abortion and restrict access to it.

Care Net announced its decision to hold the conference in July, when Florida's COVID rates were at their peak. In spite of the enormous case load, the state still does not have a mask mandate and large gatherings, such as the conference, continue to be held. While the organizers vowed to practice social distancing and wear masks, infectious disease experts agreed that holding the conference at all was "an extraordinarily bad idea." (There's also the matter of overlap between anti-choicers and anti-maskers, and the irony isn't lost here - those who claim their freedom is being violated by the concept of mask wearing in the midst of a pandemic protest under the banner "my body, my choice.")

A huge gathering of anti-choicers in a state besieged by COVID is beyond irresponsible, and CPCs continue to ravage communities who need actual health care and not religion based manipulation. You can fight against what CPCs are doing, right now, from your couch, by following the work of Expose Fake Clinics and the Pro-Truth campaign. And spread the word about self-managed abortion with abortion pills, an option for folks who can't or don't want to go to a clinic - they're safe, effective and can be used in the privacy of your own home, or in any place where you feel safe. Visit our FAQs for more information. You deserve accurate, up to date, scientific knowledge about abortion care, and we've got it.