Why I Support Planned Parenthood

Really, I have to be honest, I feel that most of this should go without saying to anyone who knows anything about women's rights or the state of health care and sexual education in the United States.

Even without bringing a woman's right to sovereignty over her own body into this by arguing for the legality of abortion, there is no doubt in my mind that the Republican party is trying to whittle down women's rights with this legislation. Only a tiny fraction of what Planned Parenthood does is related to abortion, and the rest of it? Well, the rest of what they do just as clearly empowers women, but in much less controversial ways.

Planned Parenthood provides birth control. They provide STD testing. They provide general health care and test for problematic conditions. They help improve women's body image. They provide care to pregnant women, and promote healthy relationships, and educate women about their sexuality and how to have a safe sex life. They even provide services to men!

"But *gasp!* they sometimes provide abortions!" you say, "We can't allow them to kill innocent babies with our tax dollars!"

Well, it's important to know the previous legislation, specifically the Hyde Amendment, which forbids Medicaid to provide any funding to abortions unless the mother's life is in danger. Now, personally, I'm opposed to this enduring piece of legislation, but while it's in place, there's no reason to be screaming about how we need to cut all funding to places that perform abortions in addition to other highly needed services.

I would also debate the point at which you can call that fetus a baby, but honestly, I don't have the time to write that post at the moment. 

We need to stand up for women and their right to health. We need to make sure that women have access to the services and knowledge that Planned Parenthood provides.

And yes, we do need to stand up and make sure that women have access to safe, certified abortion providers, because women are going to get abortions one way or the other, and I think we'd all rather they didn't go somewhere like Kermit Gosnell's Women's Medical Society.

For more information on the history of abortion in the United States, I recommend this excerpt from the "Abortion" chapter of Our Bodies, Ourselves for the New Century.

And please, show your support for Planned Parenthood! They need every voice behind them, and you deserve to be heard!