Pence, Republicans wrongly attempt to defund Planned Parenthood

On Feb. 18, Republicans in the House of Representatives voted to strip all Title X funding to Planned Parenthood locations. This lack of funding means a lack of contraceptives, cervical cancer screenings and HIV tests.

While some would argue that stripping Planned Parenthood of funding is a good idea, I disagree.

Planned Parenthood is a respectable organization that provides responsible options for sexually active men and women who need it. Defunding Planned Parenthood is detrimental to people, especially women, across the United States.

Rep. Mike Pence. R-Ind., was a major proponent of defunding Planned Parenthood, under the false pretense that taxpayers are paying for abortions that the organization provides.

Currently, Planned Parenthood allots none of the funding it receives to abortion procedures.

Although Planned Parenthood did receive a large chunk of Title X money, “$349.6 million in 2008 Fiscal Year,” according to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America Annual Report, they are explicitly forbidden to use that money to fund abortions.

In my eyes, this is an attack on women across the country. Abortions are part of health care for females.

“If current rates continue, it is estimated that 35 percent of all women of reproductive age in America today will have had an abortion by the time they reach the age of 45,” according to the National Abortion Federation.

The fact that Republicans are pushing their agenda upon women is despicable and unnerving.

Why is a male majority making decisions about what women decide to do with their own bodies? I think this ultimately boils down to an issue of control.

Why don’t we worry about our foreign policy, our ongoing war or floundering economy instead of cutting funding for women’s reproductive healthcare?

This new legislation is preposterous.

Many argue that abortion is dangerous and causes deadly complications for the women who choose to undergo it.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, “The risk of abortion complications is minimal: fewer than 0.3 percent of abortion patients experience a complication that requires hospitalization.”

The only time that women suffered severe complications due to abortion was when it was illegal and they were forced to visit “back-alley” abortionists who used unclean methods on their patients.

In addition, Planned Parenthood provides safe outlets for all types of women’s health services, and family planning education.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, “In 2006, publicly funded family planning services helped women avoid 1.94 million unintended pregnancies, which would likely have resulted in about 860,000 unintended births and 810,000 abortions.”

Planned Parenthood is not just an organization that provides abortions.

They provide birth control, pelvic exams, cervical cancer screenings, HIV tests and simple advice to scared or underprivileged women who need it. I would hate to see what the world turn to if we decide to outlaw Planned Parenthood locations around the nation.

Overall, I hope we can save Planned Parenthood and continue to educate and assist all women with their healthcare needs and questions.

The answer to anti-abortionists is not ending all helpful outlets for women around the nation.

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