Stunned

I am just one person. I don't know what or why other people do or go to Planned Parenthood. This is just my personal outrage at what is going on. I don't know everything and perhaps am even misinformed. But, I am truly stunned by this debate over funding for Planned Parenthood. Not because it's happening or because there is even a debate, but because of some of the INSANE things that are coming out of people's mouths.

[FYI: don't read if you don't want to get up close and personal with me]

Let me say this: I went to Planned Parenthood yesterday. I did not get an abortion and I received excellent care. My job does not provide me with health benefits (I've been promised them for a few months now, but still have not gotten anything), so this is the one and only doctor's office I've seen in the past year. I'm educated, I have a job, I'm a responsible, hard working, and productive member of society. I did not go to Planned Parenthood because I had unprotected sex, or any kind of sex for that matter. Not that it's any one's business, but I went because I care about my health and wanted to get everything checked up on. I had an abnormal check up not too long ago and needed a follow up. Since I can't afford to check up on any other health issues I have, I figured I would do want I can to at least keep my girl parts healthy. The staff there was extremely nice and made me feel very comfortable and cared for, which has not always been the case at doctor's visits. Even ones I had to pay for. I'm telling you this because in case you were not aware, Planned Parenthood is not an abortion factory. It's a place for people, like me, to receive health care they would not otherwise be able to afford. I'm furious about some of the arguments that people are saying in their budget slashing defense.

One of the biggest arguments from anti-PP people are that they don't want tax dollars paying for baby murders, otherwise known as abortions. Ok, I get it, you don't want your hard earned money going towards things you don't believe in. I'm not an expert, by any stretch of any one's imagination, but after doing some research, I came across this interesting fact:

"Federal money to Planned Parenthood and other family planning clinics goes to providing contraceptive services, sex ed, STI and HIV testing, and cervical cancer screenings. The Hyde Amendment prohibits federal funding to abortions."

So. That whole argument about taxes going towards "murders" seems a little less validated.

Another argument:

"Everybody goes to clinics, to hospitals, to doctors, and so on. Some people go to Planned Parenthood. But you don't have to go Planned Parenthood to get your cholesterol or your blood pressure checked. If you want an abortion, you go to Planned Parenthood. And that's well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does."

First off, everybody does not go to clinics, to hospitals, to doctors and so on. Not everybody can afford it. And secondly, statistics show that only about 3% of the total services provided by PP are abortions. So good try.

Most Infuriating Award:

"But nobody's life is affected by Planned Parenthood. These are options."

MY life is affected by Planned Parenthood. Millions of people are affected and kept healthy by Planned Parenthood. It is my ONLY option for health care and it is the ONLY option I have to get any kind of affordable medical care. It is my ONLY affordable birth control option. And if you must know, my birth control is more about keeping me regular and much, much less about controlling any possible births. Sad, but true.

Above all else, I am always enraged at the arguments MEN feel they are entitled to make about WOMEN'S health care issues. I really just can't believe that man think they are allowed to decide what women should and shouldn't be allowed to do with their bodies. I just wonder if these men would change their tune if it was their daughter or wife's reproductive health was in jeopardy and Planned Parenthood was their only option.

I'll stop. I could go on forever, but I just wanted to get it out because it was truly infuriating reading about it today online. I also just wanted it to be known that I STAND WITH PLANNED PARENTHOOD. I am grateful they exist. And I really hope people will get over their stupid fucking selves and realize how important it is to so many people.

Dream big people. Stand up for something big, too.

Also, this article says it a hundred million times better than me:

http://jezebel.com/#!5790148/potential-budget-shutdown-is-about-abortionexcept-its-not