So I am sure you have heard of the recent controversy between the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Planned Parenthood. If not,
here is a brief overview.
I have
always been a supporter of Planned Parenthood; from early last year when congressmen and women were fighting to cut all funding to Planned Parenthood to this recent Susan G. Komen fiasco.
I can remember being in 7th grade when a representative from Planned Parenthood came to talk to my science class about safe sex. I was squirming in my seat and my whole glass was giggling at the mention of "penis" and "vagina." But I also remember feeling like I had a friend, an adult friend, who wanted me to make safe choices about my sex life.
After this whole Susan G. Komen cuts funding for Planned Parenthood news broke I was furious. How could they do such a thing? After a little research I found that part of the reason they were cutting funding is because the new Planned Parenthood Vice President for Policy, Karen Handel is very pro-life. Not only is she pro-life, but during her failed attempt to run for governor of Georgia she campaigned on a promise to defund Planned Parenthood and was endorsed by Sarah Palin (enough said). Something just didn't make sense to me. Susan G. Komen is pro-life (maybe not the organization itself but the people who make the organization's decisions are) but they are cutting funding from Planned Parenthood who gives 750,000 breast exams a year, meaning that there are going to be 750,000 women (and men?) who will may die because they were unable to receive a breast exam. Sounded a little hypocritical to me.
But I knew I had to do some more research because there is always 5 sides to a story.
After a little more research and some tweets, I found
this. It is an article that talks about Americans United for Life President CharmaineYoast and her groups report "The Case for Investigating Planned Parenthood" that led to Planned Parenthood being investigated by the Energy and Commerce Committee. Because of this investigation, Planned Parenthood is in violation of one of Susan G. Komen's new rules that bar funding from groups under investigation.
So it is not necessarily Karen Handel's political beliefs that are to blame, at least fully, but Charmaine Yoast has played a significant role.
After posting a link to the first news article on my Facebook page, one of my very good friends called me to talk about it. She wasn't necessarily agreeing with my point of view, but she wasn't completing challenging it either. She brought up a book, Unplanned by Abby Johnson, the former director of a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas. My friend explained to me that Abby Johnson dispelled information about Planned Parenthood such as "they are closing all clinics that do not give abortions because abortions are their main source of revenue" and "they go into schools with a plan to turn young girls against their parents and turn to Planned Parenthood instead."
Now, like I have said, there are 5 sides to every story. This whole "they are closing clinics that do not give abortions" thing is kind of mind blowing - if it is true. According to numerous resources, only 3% of services performed by Planned Parenthood are abortion services. Maybe 3% is an under-exaggerated number and maybe Jonhnson's state is a little exaggerated. So let's meet somewhere in the middle.
In my opinion, regardless of how many abortions Planned Parenthood is performing each year it
is their biggest source of revenue and they
are a business and at least these abortions are being performed by professionals in a safe and sterile environment! (I have read that they are a non-profit, but I have also read that they are a for-profit, so I am just going to go with calling them a business.) In conservative's eyes, abortions are wrong so they should it is wrong that they are being given money to fund and give abortions and make money from them; but I don't see very many conservatives whining about big corporations making a ton of money from loaning people money they won't be able to pay back, thus leaving them broke and homeless.
On a side note, this is something I have never understood about conservatives. They want the government to tell people they can't get married and tell women they can't get abortions, but they don't want the government to regulate banks and businesses. It doesn't make sense to me but conservatives probably think I am crazy too.
As far as Planned Parenthood going into schools and "turning young girls away from their families" on issues about sex, I think this is
completely ludicrous. One woman cannot say: I do not support Planned Parenthood because they are going to talk to my daughter at a young age and turn her away from talking to me about these issues. I understand where you are coming from, I will probably have similar feelings when I am mother. But Planned Parenthood has to take a stance on one side, and the sick reality is that many young women live in homes where sex is taboo and if they come home pregnant they will be thrown out of their house. Planned Parenthood is trying to provide a safety to those young women who have nowhere to go.
If mothers do not want Planned Parenthood to "take their innocent daughters away" then mothers need to create that safe place and safe relationship with their daughter- because if they don't, girls will go to Planned Parenthood instead of talking to their mothers. But do not blame Planned Parenthood if your daughter ends up there - reevaluate your relationship with your daughter. Does she know she can talk to you about sex? Does she have someone like a mom, such as an aunt or older cousin that she can talk to if she is uncomfortable talking to you?
Also, mothers need to think about when they were 16 and 17. Be a great mother to your daughter, and instead of hurting your relationship with her with your strict rules and absurd boundaries, relate to her because one time you were that age too.
All in all, I will support Planned Parenthood until the day I die. If they are giving more abortions because that is where they make their money, then so be it. I am pro-choice and I would rather a woman go to a physician at Planned Parenthood than shove a hanger up her vagina. You may not agree with abortions and some of the things Planned Parenthood stands for, but for some people this is they only care they receive. Women need to get breast exams, women need to have pap smears done, and women need access to birth control and family planning materials - and if they do no have adequate access to health care (a whole other issues!) then for many this is their only option.
After this investigation of Planned Parenthood is done many new facts and figures will be dispelled and we will see where many people stand then. But I am in support of safe and adequate sex education and facilities and that is what Planned Parenthood is providing.
On a final note, I have read numerous arguments about how Planned Parenthood is handling this situation is a disaster from a PR standpoint. I, on the other hand, this it is
pure genius. After the some people at the federal level wanted to defund Planned Parenthood people were
angry! Planned Parenthood read the feelings of their supporters and fought Washington, and WON. This time around, they are channeling that same angry audience. It worked once, why fix something that isn't broken? I predict that Susan G. Komen will reinstate their funding for Planned Parenthood by the summer.
Where do you stand?
