Planned Parenthood is a non-profit women’s health organization that was founded October 16, 1916 in Brooklyn, New York by Margaret Sanger and Ethel Bryne. On July 21, 2015, Representative, Diane Black from the Republican Party introduced a bill called the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015. The bill’s purpose is to defund Planned Parenthood and any of their affiliates and clinics for one year. Essentially, the main focus of this bill is for Planned Parenthood to not perform abortions. That is, unless the pregnancy involved rape, incest or endangerment to the woman’s life; a woman can get an abortion in those cases. On September 18, 2015, the bill passed in the House of Representatives and it is waiting to be voted on by the Senate.
Planned Parenthood is more than just an abortion clinic. It helps over five million men, women and children a year. Planned Parenthood provides services and information about the morning-after pill, birth control, STDs and abortions. With the government defunding Planned Parenthood, it leaves women at a health disadvantage. But, there are many people talking about the House of Representative’s decision.
Lena Dunham and other celebrites, star in a short film called “Her Shorts,” that is partnered with Planned Parenthood. The film talks about reproductive and sexual health issues. Jack Antonoff, lead guitarist of the band Fun and Dunham’s boyfriend, is planning on composing a song for the film about the many services that Planned Parenthood offers male patients. Some of his lyrics go as followed, “I need some advice about sex, and a helping hand. Man, I need an HIV test, and I could use a better plan.”
For Antonoff, partnering with Planned Parenthood was a no brainer. “It is an incredible place that saves lives,” said Antonoff. It is more than its misconceptions of being an abortion clinic. They provide other services. “I don’t think anyone can sit there and definitively say what someone else should do with their own body,” said Antonoff.
BuzzFeed recently asked 17 people why they visited Planned Parenthood. Here are some responses:
Click here for the other 15 responses.
For more information on Planned Parenthood, check out their website.