Protests to Defend or Defund Planned Parenthood Draw Hundreds in Detroit
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Protests to Defend or Defund Planned Parenthood Draw Hundreds in Detroit

Worlds collide with healthcare in question.

24
Protests to Defend or Defund Planned Parenthood Draw Hundreds in Detroit
Angelina Camilleri

On February 11, 2017, people took to the streets across the United States to take a stand for Planned Parenthood in response to a movement to defund the nonprofit healthcare provider. Protests against the organization were planned initially by anti-choice organizations, creating a movement for counter-protest by pro-choice activists.

This weekend continued the resistance fighting back against the government's plans to strip away a number of human rights. The Defend Planned Parenthood protest in Detroit greatly outnumbered the Defund Planned Parenthood protest, with hundreds attending to defend and a couple dozen attending to defund.

What Sparked the Defend/Defund Protests?

Planned Parenthood has come into the spotlight in recent years concerning federal spending after anti-choice individuals released a video attempting to prove that Planned Parenthood sold baby parts after abortions. This, however, was proven false by a federal judge back in 2015, who said that the recordings did not prove this claim nor did it show criminal activity and served to put Planned Parenthood clinics at risk to violence. The clinics have faced serious threats for years, from simple threatening notes to the terror attacks at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado after which the white male shooter claimed he was "a warrior for the babies."

The nonprofit is the largest not-for-profit provider of healthcare services in the United States, and believes that it is the fundamental right of every person in the world to have control over one's own health and fertility regardless of race, sex, gender, income, marital status, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or residence.

Patients seek a wide range of services from Planned Parenthood. In fact, abortions only account for 3% of all the services that the healthcare facility provides. The other 97% accounts for everything else, including:

-Pregnancy tests, with 1.1 million given in 2014
-Prenatal care, to over 17,000 in 2014
-Cervical cancer screenings (pap smears), to over 270,000 per year
-Breast cancer screenings (mammograms, breast exams), to over 360,000 per year
-Providing sexual education to 1.5 million young and grown people across the United States per year
-34% accounts for contraception
-Vasectomies and Hysterectomies
-42% accounts for sexually transmitted infection and disease screening, with 4.2 million tests and treatments provided in 2014
-Research on reproductive health

62% of Planned Parenthood facilities offer same-day appointments, and 78% offer appointments during extended hours to allow the utmost accessibility to their patients.

Currently, Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan has said that Republicans will attempt to remove federal funding through Medicaid for the healthcare provider, sparking concern for many.

The fate of Planned Parenthood is still unknown, but as many protectors of Planned Parenthood have said, "The resistance will not be silenced. Nevertheless, we persist."

-------

The following are images from the Detroit protest.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

71055
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132620
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments