What Planned Parenthood Actually Does

Planned Parenthood was founded in 1921 as the American Birth Control League and in 1942 the name was changed to Planned Parenthood. Founded by women’s rights and sex education activist Margaret Sanger, the ideology of the foundation is much different than our society paints it out to be.

Planned Parenthood doesn’t just hand out abortions left and right. Only a whopping three percent of services done at Planned Parenthood are abortions. Planned Parenthood helps young parents decide what paths they should take and assist with family planning. Sexually transmitted disease testing and cancer screening are both done through Planned Parenthood which saves lives and further prevents the spread of STDs. Contraceptives are also more easily available through Planned Parenthood which further prevents the need for abortions.

Abortion is currently one of the most controversial topics in America. The Pro-life and Pro-choice Movements are both valid movements, but the pro-life Movement has created a sort of taboo about the Planned Parenthood organization. Along with our president, the Pro-life Movement seems to associate Planned Parenthood with only abortions. The defunding of Planned Parenthood is being done so that money could be put towards anti-abortion religious groups.

Abortion isn’t something used to “murder innocent lives”; it is used for young women and men who truly aren’t ready. It is something for a rape victim who would live with a constant reminder of the darkest point of her life. It is used for people who aren’t financially able to maintain a healthy pregnancy and provide for the child, and most importantly, abortion is used when the fetus or mother’s health is in danger. Having a child is expensive, and the honest truth is that abortion isn’t always going to be the answer.

However taking away our choice is the thing that is truly wrong.

Planned Parenthood helps these women prevent pregnancies, find a path through the pregnancy, prevent terminal illness that could rob a family of their wife and mother, and most importantly, gives women the choice. The choice and control over their bodies is something that no one should take away. You know yourself better than anyone and your decisions should be made with your best interest in mind. Taking away our choice is taking away the control I know I should be allowed to practice over my own body.