On February 2, The Satanic Temple announced via Twitter that it will be opening an online abortion clinic in New Mexico in an effort to aide those living in the area who seek to end their pregnancies.
The clinic, which saw its grand opening on Valentine's Day, is named "The Samuel Alito's Mom's Satanic Abortion Clinic," a pointed reference to Alito's writing the majority opinion that overturned rights established by Roe v. Wade in 1973.
"TST Health is proud to announce the launch of Samuel Alito's Mom's Satanic Abortion Clinic in New Mexico," the Temple tweeted early this month. "TST Health believes in honoring those, like the clinic's namesake, who couldn't choose legal abortion, no matter how much they may have wanted to."
TST Health, which is funded through the support of donors, has also launched a variety of merchandise to go along with the new clinic opening, including teddy bears, t-shirts and magnets.
Information found on the official website for the clinic describes it as "an online clinic that provides religious medication abortion care" issuing "abortion medication via mail to those in New Mexico who wish to perform The Satanic Temple's Religious Abortion Ritual."
The criteria for services stipulate that patients must be at least 17 years old, be in New Mexico at the time of their online screening, have a New Mexico mailing address, and be up to 11 weeks pregnant. The cost of the health services are free, but they estimate the abortion ritual medications as being deliverable at the cost of $90.
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"The Satanic Temple, on behalf of its members, objects to government interference with abortion access and contests that laws that impede our faith in bodily autonomy and our ability to perform our Religious Abortion Ritual violate the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act," the TST said in a statement.
In a quote pulled from Charisma News, the TST describes the use of the word "ritual" in relation to their abortion services as meaning a "spiritual experience designed to instill confidence and self-worth in accordance to TST's religious beliefs."
"In 1950, Samuel Alito's mother did not have options, and look what happened," said Malcolm Jarry, a co-founder of The Satanic Temple. "Prior to 1973, doctors who performed abortions could lose their licenses and go to jail. The clinic's name serves to remind people just how important it is to have the right to control one's body and the potential ramifications of losing that right."
The clinic staffs five registered nurses and a nurse practitioner to prescribe medications.
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