Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc is a nonprofit organization that provides various reproductive health services, sexual education, and advocates for the protection and expansion of reproductive rights. They are the largest provider of reproductive health services, including and famously known for abortions. It is specifically that reason that President Donald Trump has constantly pushed for their defunding.
The organization has received government funding since the 1970’s; in late 2016, the Obama administration issued a rule banning US states from withholding federal family-planning funds from health clinics that gave abortions. It was this rule that empowered all women to affordable access to their health services that they require. In some areas in particular, Planned Parenthood is the only viable option that women have. However, President Trump privately signed a new legislation that overturns this ruling in early April.
The ruling on this legislation affects thousands of women across the country, making this a public issue. It infringes on their quality of life by restricting their access to necessary healthcare services. Abortion aside, these clinics offer sexual education, contraceptives, pregnancy testing and consulting, cervical cancer screenings, and many more important features of healthcare that women should have readily available to her. Every person has a right to his or her own body, and this legislation takes away this freedom. These women should be allowed to make their own decisions about their body and how it is treated.
This is a step backwards for women’s rights in the United States, a country that prides itself in being progressive and an advocate for freedom. We are supposed to have a government built for the people and by the people. However, President Trump secretly signed the legislation into action. After talking candidly about supporting women and health related services, he was quick to sign a ruling that completely restricts access to all of these things just because the clinics also offer abortion services.
These services, including abortion, does not infringe upon other people’s rights. These matters are a private issue, and yet our government has made it a very public debate. People always have different stances on these social issues, but nobody gets hurt if we offer those in need these opportunities.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/13/politics/donald-trump-planned-parenthood-money/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/13/us/politics/planned-parenthood-trump.html?mcubz=0