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The news of Komen’s decision to end funding to Planned Parenthood hit close to home for me this week. It makes me sad to see two organizations that are both known for helping women suddenly pitted against each other… even more so that it was for political reasons.
Over the years when I’ve been uninsured or underinsured, Planned Parenthood has been a huge help to me personally. So I find if despicable how the right portrays them, as simply: Planned Parenthood = abortion clinic. Planned Parenthood is there for millions of women, providing annual exams, birth control, and other resources at a discount or free. When you can simply walk into any corner pharmacy in Spain and pick up your birth control (sans prescription), it’s amusing how complicated it can be to obtain sometimes here in America.
So Week 5 of the Forkover Friday project is for Planned Parenthood.
The nation’s leading breast-cancer charity, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, is halting its partnerships with Planned Parenthood affiliates — creating a bitter rift, linked to the abortion debate, between two iconic organizations that have assisted millions of women.
The change will mean a cutoff of hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants, mainly for breast exams.
Planned Parenthood says the move results from Komen bowing to pressure from anti-abortion activists. Komen says the key reason is that Planned Parenthood is under investigation in Congress — a probe launched by a conservative Republican who was urged to act by anti-abortion groups. —NPR
Planned Parenthood
What they do: Work to improve women’s health and safety, prevent unintended pregnancies, and advance the right and ability of individuals and families to make informed and responsible choices.
How we can help:
Who it helps: my fellow lady-kind
What non-profit or company: Planned Parenthood
Where: nationwide
Why: because Komen makes poor choices
Want to participate in Forkover Friday?
Match my donation of $12 this week to Planned Parenthood or pick your own cause and leave a comment below if you feel like sharing!
