Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Pro-Family, Pro-Choice, Pro-Life saving measures, Pro-Planned Parenthood

Pro-family, pro-choice, Pro-saving lives.
 Just a brief rant today to say that I am pro-family and pro-choice, and I stand with Planned Parenthood. It’s easy for the Susan D. Komen Foundation to cut funding to a faceless group of individuals, but I am putting my face to this cause. Many times throughout my life, when I was unable to obtain health insurance, I have relied on Planned Parenthood for my medical care.

I'll never forget the day Planned Parenthood gave me the
happy news that I was preggers with this beauty.
When I was young and newly married, my ex-husband and I had our own business. (Isn’t that the American dream, right-wing conservatives?) And while we were building our dream,  struggling financially and without healthcare, I turned to Planned Parenthood for care. Planned Parenthood was where I went for my first pregnancy test, and where I got the happy news that I was carrying my daughter Cristen.

Planned parenthood is where I had my annual exams, where I got my birth control, and where I went when I had medical problems.

In my late thirties, I would once again find myself without health insurance, due to a pre-existing condition. Every insurance company denied me, even after I appealed and wrote numerous letters. My pre-existing condition? I had seen a therapist for depression and anxiety.

So where did I turn for annual checkups and breast exams during those six long years that no one would insure me? Planned Parenthood.

And now the Susan G. Komen foundation is cutting their funding for annual breast exams, because, let’s face it, their VP of policy is a hard right-winger who had previously run a political campaign on a pro-life/anti-choice platform. Yes, Planned Parenthood does provide abortions- and unless you are a woman who has been in the excruciating situation of having to choose, you have no right to judge. Regardless of your political stance, abortions are only 3% of the care that Planned Parenthood provides, and the Komen funds do not pay for them.

If you are going to call yourself Pro-life, you’d better walk your talk. Susan G. Komen, the woman, lost her life to breast cancer, and this foundation was started in her honor. The mission was to save women’s lives so that Susan’s death would not have been in vain. How is the foundation honoring Susan, by cutting life-saving screenings for women all over this country?

In honor of Susan, and women everywhere, please sign this petition telling the Susan D. Komen Foundation to get their priorities straight and return the funding for breast exams to Planned Parenthood. (it is literally one click and takes two seconds)

4 comments:

  1. Signing now. With a heavy heart and a body that has been to planned parenthood for care many times.

    Never for an abortion, by the way.

    Not that it matters.
    Health is health. And should never be denied to anyone.

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  2. "Health is health and should never be denied to anyone"- right on, Julie!

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  3. Thank you for this well thought, well written post. Women need to stop being divided and stand together for our rights.

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  4. Thank you for standing with us, Emilie!

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I love hearing your point of view- thank you for taking the time to comment and be part of the conversation!
love,
Hollye