During the past weekend, over 200 De-Fund Planned Parenthood rallies were held nationwide. Counter-protests were held with participants in similar garb to the Women’s March on Washington in January. Having a local Planned Parenthood in town, Marquette was no stranger to this protest and anti-protest face-off.
The conflict comes from a difference of beliefs. Not everyone will have the same opinion when it comes to sensitive issues like abortion, birth control or health insurance. Different stances lead to emotion-filled clashes fueled by personal morals.
The fact is, Planned Parenthood is a valuable resource.
The organization and their facilities provide education and services to all—some people may not have had proper sex education in school, learned about birth control or may not have insurance that covers services that they need. Without things like sex education or birth control, too often people are left uncomfortable and uninformed.
The most difficult subject on the table is abortion. Planned Parenthood does provide abortion services to women in need of a safe, caring environment—but these services make up only a very small percentage of what the organization does.
In 2016, the organization reported that their facilities performed over 4 million STD and HIV tests and treatments, 2 million family planning and contraceptive services and they reached out to over 1 million young adults with educational programs. These, plus many others, are valuable services that many people would not have had access to otherwise.
Planned Parenthood means to protect life by providing preventative measures toward accidental or risky pregnancies. Defunding Planned Parenthood does not mean the need for abortions will go down—it means access to safe abortions will.
The reality is, we do not currently live in a society where young adults are comfortable talking and learning about sex and sex education. We do not live in a society where insurance always covers birth control. We do not live in a society where people are abstinent until they are ready for children.
We live in a society where sex education and related health services are very much needed.