“I stand with Planned Parenthood because…Donald Trump,” Stachyann Chin shouted into the mic yesterday to the laughter and cheers of a passionate crowd gathered to stand in solidarity with Planned Parenthood. Foley Square, Manhattan was just one of the rallies taking place all over the country yesterday to protest the house vote to defund Planned Parenthood through blocking Medicaid reimbursement and withdrawing Title Ten Family Planning Program funds.
What would our country look like without Planned Parenthood? Well, considering that Planned Parenthood provides care for 2.7 million people each year nationally and that more than half their locations are in medically underserved areas, an America without Planned Parenthood certainly seems bleak. If Planned Parenthood disappears so does the primary source of health care for 1.08 million people, and that’s not okay.
So let me reiterate spoken word artist and proud supporter of Planned Parenthhood Stacyann Chin and say again, “I stand with Planned Parenthood…because Donald Trump.” Flippant as this comment may seem, its true, we need organizations like Planned Parenthood that will stand up for women, immigrants, low income people, people of color, queer people, and other marginalized groups as long as we have people like Donald Trump and Jason Chavets who are given national platforms to lie and bully women.
Here are some of my favorite moments from yesterday’s PinkOut rally where people were generous enough to share why they #StandWithPP
Suvh, a self-described “old trout” to the women’s movement. Recalling how she was “born a feminist, no others were at that time and it was considered quite strange.” Finally in the 60s and 70s, the feminist movement caught up with her. “It was a long fight,” she remembers, and she worries that the complacency that followed the victory of Row v. Wade has lead to a slow depletion of the progress that was made. She encourages young people to get involved and warns that everything women have gained will be lost unless we keep fighting.
Maggie (right) and Kate (left) came to the rally to support Planned Parenthood because of their personal experience with the challenge of finding adequate reproductive healthcare. Maggie shared that when her daughter was leaving for college, they couldn’t find an affordable doctor who would prescribe an 18 year old (legal adult) birth control. Kate told me that when she was 18 (again, a legal adult), her mother’s doctor wouldn’t prescribe her birth control because he was catholic. For both women their experiences drove home that what Planned Parenthood provides is healthcare for people who need it. Maggie pointed out that “it was really a question of economics” when it came to who could get certain healthcare which she disagrees with completely.
Dannie has discovered her inner advocate after her friend had an abortion, and she saw, first hand, the quality healthcare Planned Parenthood provides. She thinks it is important that women “have a safe space, without influence to make their decision” going on to say, “Planned Parenthood is doing amazing things for women without shame, taking shame out of the equation.”
Jeremy (right) and Camilo (left) rallied with Planned Parenthood to protect a women’s right to choose as well and to celebrate the services Planned Parenthood provides to not only women but to men, trans people, and the lgbtq community (among others). Jeremy points out that “for many Planned Parenthood is their only source of healthcare,” and Camilo adds that by being here today they are “pushing back with facts” against those trying to sully the reputation of Planned Parenthood.
Marilyn worked in PR for Planned Parenthood for many years before retiring, and she said “the more she learned about Planned Parenthood, the more impressed she became.” She said she is now a more behind the scenes financial supporter, but that she had to come out to the rally because “the objections [to Planned Parenthood] are so outrageous you can’t help to do something.”
Images via: Kaya Payseno
Read more on BUST.com:
5 Ways To Stand With Planned Parenthood
#ShoutYourAbortion Goes Beyond The Hashtag: Video
