An article we printed in the Lampoon section this week about Planned Parenthood really got The Leader staff talking. While not all of us are super knowledgeable about the politics and the fiscal numbers, the entire staff is knowledgeable about what it’s like to be college-aged and to want to be in control of what happens to our bodies.
“Planned Parenthood is more than just helping expectant mothers figure out their options,” said one Leader staff member. “This organization helps women with any issue regarding their bodies, which gives them the agency they need. Women, as a minority group, need all the support they can, especially in a country that is waging a war against women’s reproductive rights.”
The facility is also a place that helps women feel in control of their bodies at all times — especially after horrible experiences. A second staff member shared a more personal story:
“When I was 17, I was put in a situation where I did not give sexual consent and I was assaulted. Afterwards, I was scared because I knew the guy had been with a lot of other girls. I come from a strict family which would have disciplined me for the situation, but I was able to seek help anonymously through Planned Parenthood and also get tested to make sure I was clean without my family ever knowing. More and more teens today need resources like Planned Parenthood just like I did then.”
We’re very lucky to be living in America — a country where both women and men have all sorts of rights that you can’t find in some other countries. But at the same time, when such a negative stigma is attached to a healthcare resource like Planned Parenthood, it’s easy to feel attacked when the government seems to be backing up that stigma.
“Religious views and other personal beliefs can often hinder a person’s ability to see all sides of a situation,” said a third Leader staff member. “Just because your beliefs may not align with the purpose of an organization, does not mean others should have the resource taken away from them.”
In the minds of many, the words “Planned Parenthood” denote abortions and not much else. But at its core, it’s a health center. And just because that health center gives women the choice to get an abortion doesn’t take away the fact that Planned Parenthood is there to serve the general public.
“Planned Parenthood doesn’t just have abortion services. It helps women with birth control, body image, health care, emergency contraception, pregnancy, relationships, sex, sexuality, sexual orientation, gender, STD’s and even men’s sexual health,” said a fourth Leader staff member. “I see the defunding of Planned Parenthood and the constant attack it comes under as a blatant disregard of the rights of women everywhere who seek to take control of their bodies and their lives.”