Tech Times reported on Feb. 10 that Thomas Price had been confirmed as the new secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services after a 52-47 vote and that senators from the Democratic Party are already worried about the Affordable Care Act, which Price and President Donald Trump seem to be targeting.
Price is known as one of the rabid supporters to defund Planned Parenthood and practically anything that allows women to make conscious choices for their own bodies. Now that he is in the position to enact significant changes, women's health advocates have come forward to convince legislators that defunding Planned Parenthood is not exactly a wise choice.
Women's Health Advocates Share Their Stories
On March 2, health care providers and patients from New York City and Washington joined fellow women's health advocates at the Capitol to give lawmakers an idea of just how important Planned Parenthood is and why it should not be defunded.
Nadine, a Planned Parenthood New York City patient, recalled how Planned Parenthood gave her the emotional and psychological support she needed in her youth.
"When I became sexually active at 15, and didn't feel that I could go to my family for the resources I needed to be safe, I went to Planned Parenthood [...] There was no judgment, there was only love and support, complete and unwavering understanding," she shared.
Another PPNYC patient, Raquel, shared how she relied on Planned Parenthood when she could not afford health care.
"In the years that I lived without health insurance, Planned Parenthood provided me with regular access to doctors and quality care. PPNYC has been the most trusted health care provider I have ever had," she said.
Why Planned Parenthood Should Be Protected
Planned Parenthood has been attacked time and again based on religious and moral objections. Price is just one of the people who are resolute in denying women proper and affordable health care by proposing bills and criticizing practically anything that benefits women's reproductive rights.
Barbara Bush got it right when she spoke at a Planned Parenthood fundraiser in Texas.
"To me, Planned Parenthood is a one-stop shop for everything that has to do with women's health and all social problems that don't have to do with women's health," Bush said.
Supporting Planned Parenthood does not necessarily mean one supports abortion or tramples on religious and moral freedom. Planned Parenthood educates women, especially teenagers, and gives them access to proper education on how to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies. This, in turn, decreases abortion rates, overpopulation, and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and non-STDs like cancer that also affect women who are sexually active.
Planned Parenthood claims that 2.5 million people would be affected per year if it is defunded but let us look at it from another perspective and consider the numbers.
"Per year, Planned Parenthood health centers provide birth control for 2 million people, as well as over 4 million STD tests and treatments; over 360,000 breast exams; over 270,000 Pap tests," the Planned Parenthood website states.
Defunding Planned Parenthood is not just about the number of people who used the services listed above. It's also about their potential partners who could inadvertently aid in the spread of STDs, and their potential children who could be affected with STDs or unsafely aborted, which could lead to death for the pregnant woman, as well.
It's also about their families who would find out too late that their loved one had been suffering from some sort of cancer all along — a cancer that could have been detected and fought if only they had access to affordable services that Planned Parenthood provides.
You can take a look at Planned Parenthood's infographic below.
It's not about spreading immorality or proliferating practices that do not follow religious rules, but avoiding potentially harmful and preventable consequences. This is what the advocates want legislators and Price to realize.
