I was going to rant about all five topics in the same blog post, but decided they each should get their own...
Let's start with Planned Parenthood/Abortion -- First, I want to reiterate that abortions (a) are only a tiny percentage of what *some* Planned Parenthoods actually do, and most PP clinics are only medical health centers, (b) abortions are provided at other medical establishments, but cost a whole lot more, and (c) are COMPLETELY LEGAL, whether *you* agree with it or not (this is where that word CHOICE comes in... my choice to do what is best for me and your choice to do what is best for you). That said, here's a story I want you to think about and remember when you start thinking you need to bitch about PP. When I was 18yo, my employer at the time (Safeway) covered medical insurance for full time employees. Full time, at that time, was considered 40hrs. Since I was a new college student, I worked closer to 30hrs... no medical insurance for me. I was in that grey area where I made too much money to qualify for state assisted insurance but couldn't get traditional insurance; everything came out of my pocket.
So, I found places to take care of my health (eye doc, dentist, and Planned Parenthood) that would take payments based on my income (called "sliding scale cash payments"). I ended up using Planned Parenthood for the next 6 years (when I *intentionally, with PP's help* got pregnant with Princess, they helped get me on state assisted insurance, which I then qualified for) and after I gave birth, I continued to use them until 2004 (because even then, it was difficult to find a "regular doctor" who would take state medical coverage), when I got married for the second time and we got onto Ace's insurance plan. During the course of my (roughly) 10 years with them, I was able to get: complete physicals, pap smears, heart monitoring (I have a small murmur), nutritional advice, low-cost (*NOT FREE*) birth control pills, STD testing, colposcopy/biopsies (two or three of those, because of the results of my STD testing), and two pregnancy tests. NOT ONCE did anyone make me, or even try to make me, have an abortion... not ONCE! If I hadn't have used PP, I would be dead, or at least infertile, and my beautiful daughter, whom you all know and love, would never have been born. Planned Parenthood *literally* helped me PLAN my own PARENTHOOD! Of course, times have changed; medical insurance is now a legal requirement, although you KNOW a lot of people still don't have any; the fine they have to pay is cheaper than an insurance plan would cost them...
Contrary to uneducated belief, having insurance is not the same as having places to USE such insurance -- that is a constant comment I see... "But, insurance is required! Why do we need Planned Parenthood?". Because having insurance IS NOT THE SAME THING as having a place to USE that insurance, and some people still don't have insurance! Planned Parenthood not only accepts all insurance plans, but it also accepts those who don't have any (unlike your local doctor's office); you can pay based on your income (or lack thereof)... *VERY FEW* traditional doctor's offices will allow you to pay that way. One more thought on the subject - Please stop using the rhetoric about how "a lot" of women use abortions "as a form of birth control". While I will acknowledge that there are a small (tiny, really) minority who do, most of those do so only because hormonal birth control will make them sick or kill them.
That aside, no one I know, and very few if you want to play the percentage game, "use abortion as birth control" (and, even if they did, why does it matter so much to you?!?!). The majority of women who have an abortion either (a) can't afford a child, so the cost of an abortion is worth it (without insurance, they will cost between $300-$700... no one does that on a regular basis if they don't have to), (b) doesn't want a child and does not want to carry a child (her decision, not yours), or (c) wanted that child but the child will not have a good quality of life (may even die before natural birth or soon after). Regardless of *why* someone gets one, it is my belief that it is none of YOUR business unless YOU are the pregnant one. And, to be honest, even if all PP did was abortions, I'd still support them because IT'S NONE OF MY BUSINESS WHO GETS ONE OR WHY! Now, shut up and keep your ill-informed opinions to yourself.
**edit/add** I forgot to say, on a related note, STOP THE SLUT-SHAMING! No, a woman should not be told to "keep her legs shut", "you play you pay", or any of the other victim-blaming or slut-shaming verbage some people still think it's perfectly acceptable to use. Why, when it LITERALLY "takes two to tango" (except in a rape situation - obviously we need to put the blame solely on the RAPIST in that situation) would you ever blame or victimize ONE person but not the other?!
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