By: Mackenzie, CC, Gabbi
Planned Parenthood Faces Defunding
Planned Parenthood, sometimes shortened to PP, was founded in New York City in 1916 by Margaret Sanger, Ethyl Bryne and Fania Mindell to give information and advice, and to provide government funded healthcare for women who can’t afford it. Today, the health, money, safety, and rights of men and women are all affected by Planned Parenthood, but things may change soon. There is currently a large debate that envelops much of the country—should PP continue to be funded by the government?
While this debate has two broad sides to it, there are many more facets that make this topic more complex than it seems. The two general sides battle between continuing government funding for Planned Parenthood versus defunding it, and each side is usually populated by pro-choice or pro-life people, respectively. Pro-choicers believe that PP should continue to be funded because of all the health benefits it provides, besides supplying contraceptives and access to abortion. Conversely, pro-lifers usually believe that defunding PP is a better way to route the government's money because they are morally opposed to abortions. There is some middle ground, though -- some people who identify as pro-life still agree with funding PP because they value the health benefits it provides. A pro-choicer named Rachel Gillispie shared her Planned Parenthood experience online, claiming without the protection and health benefits PP provided during her abortion, she wouldn't have gotten through it otherwise considering her young age. A different and anonymous PP patient described her experience as unhelpful and overly expensive, which completely changed her overall thoughts on the program. Many people's views are affected by the varying stories and reviews on the internet, and views based off of personal experience affect society as a whole.
Planned Parenthood does many things for all people, young and old, men and women. At your local PP, you can get a multitude of information from nurses on men and women’s health, including: STD testing and treatment, sexual orientation guidance, sex and relationship guidance, pregnancy screening and help, emergency contraceptive, cancer and body imaging, guidance of birth control, abortion, and the list goes on and on. Everybody in their life needs help and guidance in at least one of these categories,which explains why PP is visited by so many people annually. Each year, approximately 4,665,000 people are provided with sexual and reproductive care and advice from PP.
While very controversial, Planned Parenthood has always been a very integral part of society. Although there are many different opinions about it, Planned Parenthood has a long history of helping and being involved with many men and women everywhere. With the many different views on PP, it is a highly, if not one of the most talked about topics in today's society. Planned Parenthood affects many lives in many different ways -- millions of Americans across the country are provided services that some people can't get anywhere else. However, both sides continue to battle it out to determine whether or not PP deserves continued funding.
While this debate has two broad sides to it, there are many more facets that make this topic more complex than it seems. The two general sides battle between continuing government funding for Planned Parenthood versus defunding it, and each side is usually populated by pro-choice or pro-life people, respectively. Pro-choicers believe that PP should continue to be funded because of all the health benefits it provides, besides supplying contraceptives and access to abortion. Conversely, pro-lifers usually believe that defunding PP is a better way to route the government's money because they are morally opposed to abortions. There is some middle ground, though -- some people who identify as pro-life still agree with funding PP because they value the health benefits it provides. A pro-choicer named Rachel Gillispie shared her Planned Parenthood experience online, claiming without the protection and health benefits PP provided during her abortion, she wouldn't have gotten through it otherwise considering her young age. A different and anonymous PP patient described her experience as unhelpful and overly expensive, which completely changed her overall thoughts on the program. Many people's views are affected by the varying stories and reviews on the internet, and views based off of personal experience affect society as a whole.
Planned Parenthood does many things for all people, young and old, men and women. At your local PP, you can get a multitude of information from nurses on men and women’s health, including: STD testing and treatment, sexual orientation guidance, sex and relationship guidance, pregnancy screening and help, emergency contraceptive, cancer and body imaging, guidance of birth control, abortion, and the list goes on and on. Everybody in their life needs help and guidance in at least one of these categories,which explains why PP is visited by so many people annually. Each year, approximately 4,665,000 people are provided with sexual and reproductive care and advice from PP.
While very controversial, Planned Parenthood has always been a very integral part of society. Although there are many different opinions about it, Planned Parenthood has a long history of helping and being involved with many men and women everywhere. With the many different views on PP, it is a highly, if not one of the most talked about topics in today's society. Planned Parenthood affects many lives in many different ways -- millions of Americans across the country are provided services that some people can't get anywhere else. However, both sides continue to battle it out to determine whether or not PP deserves continued funding.
Featured Resource
Check out our featured video from CNN here!
More Resources
The Next Battle in the War Over Planned Parenthood
Both Sides of Planned Parenthood Proclaim #IStandWithPP
Both Sides of Planned Parenthood Proclaim #IStandWithPP
Join the conversation. |
Leave a comment below or use the hashtag #ROPPdebate!