Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood in 2008 helped 5 million people worldwide, helping people to make responsible decisions about reproductive and sexual health. Seventy-two percent of Planned Parenthood's clients are below poverty level.  Keep in mind that minimum wage is 7.25 an hour. Working full time is roughly 40 hours a week-although the company in mind is the dictator of how many hours a week is "full time." 40 hours a week X 7.25 an hour  is 290$. $290 a week X 4 weeks in a month is 1160$. $1160 a month  X 12 months in a year is 13,920 a year. For citizens who make 13,920 a year Planned Parenthood provides services they may otherwise be unable to afford. Defunding Planned Parenthood will take away vital services for the reproductive health for women and by eliminating services to women,  women will be forced to seek out other avenues for sexual and reproductive healthcare.

Planned Parenthood has provided programs on over 28 topics: AIDS/HIV family planning including education on abstinence, puberty,  STIs, teen pregnancy, and general women's health. The effects of having a society in which education on sexual and reproductive issues are unknown  is stark. In the Middle Ages we revert to religion and superstition to explain phenomenon without scientific evidence. Without information on even one of these topics many people will fall into ignorance of HIV/AIDS, STIs, teen pregnancy, and other conditions. Ignorance on these topics is literally fatal. If citizens in America do not know the basic facts on how to contract lethal diseases like HIV or AIDs they will not be able to prevent or even be aware of incidents that will lead them to contract fatal diseases such as HIV or AIDS. If children are taught abstinence only in schools and then grow into adults who have no access to the education of Planned Parenthood they may have to rely on their parents (who may or may not be there for them), friends (who may be just as ignorant as them), general practitioners (which they may be unable to afford as they are below poverty level and Medicaid is run by private interest groups such as Amerigroup for profit-which I personally am on), or religious affiliations (which will teach abstinence only and if religiously fundamental preach against every contraceptive).  Planned Parenthood even just on these terms is an enormous safety guard for women and even men everywhere.  Without the information that Planned Parenthood provides many could and would die due to  ignorance on pregnancy, abortion, STDs, cervical cancer, other cancers and more.

Women's rights for abortion have been mowed down drastically, especially with this personhood act. It doesn't matter if the woman would die from childbirth or have many other deadly consequences such as paralyzation. It doesn't matter if she is on medications that would deform the child irreparably. It doesn't matter if the father is a rapist and the "method of conception" is rape. It doesn't matter if she has AIDs which will transfer to the child. It doesn't matter if she is against birthing the child. The life of a single cell organism is more important than the woman who is carrying it's life. No more contraceptives since that would be preventing life and a generation from happening. Apparently Americans only have children as an accident. Planned Parenthood educated women and men on sexual reproduction and other incredibly important topics that otherwise would be obscure to them and their partners. It provides information on abortions which equals safety and security for the pregnant woman, she has a haven where she can learn more about her condition (pregnancy, or otherwise sexual issues) and make responsible decisions that fit with her choice. Not God's plan, not the government's plan, HER plan. Planned Parenthood is about women's rights to do what they want with their own body and be autonomous, as it should be.


-Samantha Jacks