Hollywood celebrities are coming to the aid of the abortion industry following the Trump administration’s announcement of a new rule that ends the notion that abortion is health care or family planning and requires abortion facilities to be physically and financially separate from federally funded family planning centers.
The new rule, which can be read at the website of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), bars recipients of federal Title X family planning funds from referring women for abortions and – for abortion providers that also offer family planning services – also requires completely separate facilities for these services. The rule sends the clear message that abortion is not family planning or health care.
The new regulations also require Title X recipients to both abide by all state and local laws that mandate the reporting of child sexual abuse, and to document that they have made those reports.
Actress and comedian Sarah Silverman started off ripping Trump on May 18 with her assertion the new rule is not about protecting life, but about “limiting women’s choices while courting a specific voting block”:
MRC NewsBusters noted other celebrity tweets as well:
“Tweet at him now and tell him: he has no right to make decisions about your body,” tweeted actress Jane Fonda:
Singer Pink tweeted, “Title X gives women access to contraception and more control over their lives, health, careers & economic security — and a gag rule takes that care away”:
The notion that women are somehow unable to obtain contraception with the new rule in place is, however, “fake news.” Taxpayer funds that would go to abortion facilities that refuse to abide by the new regulations – and some may choose not to – are slated to go to other federally qualified health centers that do not perform abortions and that provide more comprehensive health care. Any individual who would have chosen a Title X abortion facility for regular health care and family planning services can find another center at getyourcare.org.
“These centers outnumber Planned Parenthood facilities by a 20:1 ratio,” notes Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser.
Actress Jessica Biel also tweeted the “gag rule” is “a dangerous Trump-Pence policy that allows doctors to withhold information from women about their pregnancy options and block patients from coming to Planned Parenthood”:
The new rule, however, does not prohibit doctors in Title X facilities from counseling women about abortion.
Madame Secretary’s Tea Leoni also tweeted the same misinformation about the new Title X regulations:
“Under the administration’s gag rule, people who access care through Title X—mostly the uninsured, low income, or people of color—wouldn’t be able to get info about all their options, including abortions,” she posted. “Enough is enough.”
Again, the new rule does allow facilities that receive Title X funding to counsel about abortion, but not refer for abortion. Low-income individuals and the uninsured can still go to the many thousands of federally qualified health centers that provide more expansive services than Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. Additionally, Title X facilities that currently perform abortions and distribute contraception can choose to abide by the new rule and separate their family planning centers from those that perform abortions in order to remain eligible for grants under this program.
Other celebrities tweeted similar left-wing talking points that reflected a lack of knowledge about the new rule.
“Stop playing politics with our bodies and health care,” postedTop Chef producer Padma Lakshmi:
“Title X gives women access to contraception and more control over their lives, health, careers, & economic security — and a gag rule takes that care away,” said Kate Walsh of 13 Reasons Why:
Numerous other celebrities joined in attacking the new rule:
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