Yulisa Vega / Contributing Writer
The war on women’s reproductive rights rages as the House of Representatives passes legislation to strip Planned Parenthood of its $500 million federal family planning funds for a year.
Advertised as a political move to draw attention to allegations of Planned Parenthood staffers’ illegal actions – allegations based on highly edited video footage released by the Center for Medical Progress – the legislation, which passed on Sept.18, was pushed by political conservatives bent on defunding Planned Parenthood even before the recent controversy. The videos have been discredited and debunked as legitimate evidence against Planned Parenthood and yet on Monday evening the Senate GOP was on its fast-track process of planning legislation that would block all funding to Planned Parenthood for a year.
The 1976 Hyde Amendment dictates that federal Medicaid funds can only be used to fund abortions in cases of rape, incest or to protect the life of the mother meaning federal money does not go towards just any abortion service.
Planned Parenthood isn’t an abortion clinic; it is a sexual rights and reproductive rights organization that assists over 5.1 million men and women per year, and in fact abortions comprise 3 percent of the services provided by Planned Parenthood (PP). One of the most sought after services at PP is STI/STD testing, with nearly 4.5 million treatments provided in 2013 alone. PP is a big provider of contraception as well, from oral contraception to contraceptive implants. Not to mention PP provides cancer screenings, breast examinations, and HPV vaccinations. PP also provides services for pregnant women such as pregnancy tests and prenatal services.
If PP were to be defunded, its federally funded nutrition program would be affected. For low-income women, infants and children up to the age of five dependent on free supplemental food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and education, among other support services, the impact would be devastating. Also, for many low-income people of color, Planned Parenthood is their main health care provider. When we consider the statistics, the Center for Disease Control indicates Latinas and African American women have the highest incidents of cervical cancer and breast cancer so affordable access to Planned Parenthood for early diagnosis would be crucial to the quality and length of these women’s lives.
Women’s reproductive rights, or lack thereof, are constantly restricted by legislation. Even in Florida, Gov. Rick Scott passed a 24-hour waiting period before abortions to serve as a “reflection” time for the woman. The law only allowed immediate abortions in case of rape, incest, domestic abuse or human trafficking if women can present doctors with a police report, restraining order or similar documentation. Thankfully, the law was blocked by Judge Charles Dodson this pass July and is still on hold. If the law is placed back into effect, it may cause irreparable harm. This sends out a message to women that says they need to think about the choices they make concerning their bodies.
As a woman, I am offended that my body and my choices regarding it need to be justified. If PP were defunded, I would not be able to acquire affordable health care services because of conservative political figures making more than six-figure salaries telling me what I can and can’t do with my body. According to them, I am entitled to an abortion if I’m a victim of rape, incest, domestic abuse or human trafficking and can prove it.
Overall, Planned Parenthood provides affordable, quality preventive care and treatment to millions of women, men and young people across the country. Defunding PP could have deadly consequences.
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