Earlier this month, Metro officials refused to run ads in stations from Carafem Health Center, a Chevy Chase clinic that offers abortion and birth-control services. The banners advertise the availability of a legal, FDA-approved abortion pill, which Metro claims violates its ban on political advocacy because it is “issue-oriented.”
“All we are doing is trying to get the word out to potential clients,” Melissa Grant, vice president of health-care services for Carafem, told the Washington Post.
Carafem found another way to get the word out by renting a mobile billboard and driving it around DC. Earlier today, the bright pink ad was parked outside of Metro’s headquarters in downtown DC.
Hey @wmata! The ad you won't let us show is outside your headquarters & will be around DC thru 1/20. @washingtonpost @washingtonian @DCist pic.twitter.com/QIZol195TW
— carafem (@carafem) January 19, 2017
The abortion pill ads are also visible at DC bus shelters, which are owned and maintained by the DC Department of Transportation, which has different advertising guidelines.
Pro-choice? Pro-free speech? Snap pix of #10WeekAfterPill ads – rejected by @wmata for mentioning LEGAL #abortion! https://t.co/IaMyGVnN1z pic.twitter.com/RJGvRoUUcw
— carafem (@carafem) January 19, 2017
Greta started as an editorial fellow in January 2016 and joined as a full-time staff member that August. She now works as a web producer and writer. She was previously an intern at Slate and National Geographic and graduated from the University of Missouri’s Journalism School. She lives in Adams Morgan.
