For the past several weeks, the issue of defunding Planned Parenthood has been at the forefront of the hot-button issues currently in Americans' minds. Not only are the Democrats and Republicans in Congress split on the issue, but ASU students are as well.
Planned Parenthood is a service that provides access to different types of health care to low-income men and women, though it specifically targets sexual health.
Recently, Planned Parenthood has come under fire after the release of several videos by an anti-abortion group which allegedly showed Planned Parenthood officials discussing what to do with aborted fetal tissue remains. While many say these videos are highly edited and not true, the issue still remains.
Now, Planned Parenthood faces a possible federal defunding as it reaches its second day of congressional hearings on Capitol Hill.
Kelley Dupps, a public policy manager at Phoenix Planned Parenthood, said the debate over Planned Parenthood is common, calling it part of the “war on women.”
“The opponents of women’s health have been out there forever," she said. "I think our opponents want to focus on the small part of the work we do which makes people squeamish.”
Dupps said many of the services that Planned Parenthood has to offer would suffer major cuts if Planned Parenthood is defunded.
Many college students rely on these services.
“All of the services would become more expensive because they won’t be subsidized by the government,” Dupps said. “Things like HIV testing and birth control could go away. These speak to the student population.”
While Planned Parenthood insists that only 3 percent of the procedures done in their offices across the nation are abortions, there is still opposition from pro-life advocates who want to know what Planned Parenthood’s federal funds — taxpayer money — is being used for.
Secondary education chemistry junior Jennifer Whitton, Students for Life ASU's president, said she doesn't support Planned Parenthood and thinks the organization does more harm than good.
"An organization that is so focused on the killing of unborn children for profit and the selling of that tissue for profit is no place I would recommend for men and women to receive their health care, no matter what other services they provide," Whitton wrote in an email.
Whitton said she agrees with conservatives on defunding Planned Parenthood, and believes that there are alternative providers people can go to for health services besides Planned Parenthood.
"I think there are many other places women can go for quality health care and I think federal spending should support these places rather than a big abortion business," Whitton said. "I don’t think you can truly look at any of the other services Planned Parenthood claims to provide and call them a great organization in need of $500 million worth of taxpayer money."
Political science senior Joan LeBeau, a member of College Republicans, said she has been following the Planned Parenthood hearings on Capitol Hill and agrees with Republicans the defunding of the organization.
“I have seen every video and they are grotesque,” LeBeau said. “It is unethical and oppressive for American taxpayers to give money to a particular issue they’re against. I’ve wanted them defunded for years.”
The supporters of Planned Parenthood created a National Pink Out Day on Sept. 29, when supporters were encouraged to wear pink and go to their local Planned Parenthood for free STD testing.
Vox: Voices for Planned Parenthood, a PP support program, hosted a Tempe campus meeting for current members and Planned Parenthood supporters, where phone calls were made to Arizona representatives Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix and Ruben Gallego, D-Phoenix, thanking the representatives for their support .
Planned Parenthood volunteer Kate Fisher has been a big supporter since she moved to the U.S. She said the longtime debate over women’s reproductive health in the U.S. is something that she never dealt with growing up in Australia.
For ASU students, the existence of Planned Parenthood is vital, global health senior Afsoon Shirazi said. Sharazi is a member of Devils in the Bedroom, an organization that promotes sexual wellness on ASU campuses.
She said she believes the foundation of the issues surrounding Planned Parenthood negativity starts with education.
“Education is a really big thing,” Sharazi said. “I think there is an intentional omission of important ideas in health education, just as we see in sex education classes today.”
“You don’t see conservative legislators attacking fertility clinics," Sharazi continued. “Fertility clinic, reproductive health clinics, sexual health clinics that aren’t Planned Parenthood provide the same services. So why is it that Planned Parenthood, a low-cost, federally-funded organization, is under attack?”
Related Links:
Planned Parenthood protestors, supporters face off outside of Phoenix Planned Parenthood office
Planned Parenthood reminds us that kindergarten lessons still apply
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