As a non-profit women’s health organization that provides services linked to controversial topics such as abortion, Planned Parenthood is used to receiving a plethora of scrutiny.
The organization is constantly fighting against losing their funding, which makes it especially hard when anti-abortionist extremists spread rumors that fetal tissue is being illegally sold inside their doors. On top of spreading false rumors, The Center for Medical Progress went as far as hiring actors to create scenarios in which Planned Parenthood representatives were depicted selling fetal body parts to outside sources. These ridiculous allegations led to many states taking investigative measures in order to ensure protocol was being followed
No evidence was found and the clinic’s reputation was restored. Planned Parenthood spokespeople commented, “all of the organization’s tissue donations are made with full, appropriate consent from patients and under the highest ethical and legal standards and there is no financial benefit.”
This case dating all the way back to 2015 re-invigorated the long-running political debate over abortion rights in the United States. Although proved false, this case threatened to have the non-profit de-funded which would put countless women at a huge disadvantage and take away from our rights. This controversy made the news yet again earlier this week with the grand jury indictment of the founder of The Center for Medical Progress.
Although the rumors wereproved false, the fight to keep medical abortions legal is a long and hard road. Unfortunately, society has not yet reached a level where abortion is a widely accepted topic, stemming from the severe sensitivity of the subject. Pro-lifers protest viciously outside Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide and harass patients in attempt to shame them into changing their minds. These acts are malicious and can be extremely traumatizing for a woman who is going through a hard process.
A common misconception that people have about Planned Parenthood is that their only service is performing abortions. This stigma places a negative connotation on the organization and is an injustice to their work.
What many people don’t realize is that only three percent of all Planned Parenthood health services are abortion services. Their other services include breast exams, pap tests, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and preventative pregnancy services. Another stigma attached isthey only provide services for women. In fact, more than five million women, men and adolescents receive services from their medically trained professionals each year. They essentially function as any other doctor’s office, and provide simple tasks such as flu shots and routine check ups.
For most women, making the decision to get an abortion is not an easy one, and is a serious decision that calls for immense support and love, not hostility and judgement. If women were forced to go through with every pregnancy, it would have negative implications on the economy, the population and the education of women in general.
For example, if a college student unintentionally became pregnant and was forced to go through with the pregnancy, she would most likely have to drop out of school and move back home, thus stunting her education and future. Therefore, she would struggle later in life to find a job to support her family. Granted, this isn’t always the case. There are many times that a woman is financially and emotionally ready to support a child if an unwanted pregnancy did occur.
The concept that so many people struggle to grasp is the idea of pro-choice. Women are human beings and should have the right to do what they want with their bodies. Some people who support abortion rights see abortion as a last resort and focus on a number of situations where they feel abortion is a necessary option. Regardless of the situation, there are always going to be people who feel strongly one way or another about the situation, despite their viewpoint. We can only hope that in years to come, women have the power to make their own decisions regarding their bodies.