Alright, so here's the deal. The first and usually only thing that generally comes to mind when thinking of Planned Parenthood is abortion. While that is absolutely not what Planned Parenthood is about as a fundamental organization, that's what we insist we talk about. So, let's talk about it.

Let's get uncomfortable and talk about taboo and touchy subjects because they will never be regulated or properly represented until we are open about them.

If abortion is the first thing you think of when you think of Planned Parenthood, it might enlighten you to know that only 3% of services offered by Planned Parenthood are abortion.

In Missouri, the only clinic that offers the procedure is in St. Louis and requires a requires a 3-day waiting period. How's that for regulation? While I personally don't think that abortion is a procedure that should be politicized and criminalized, some people's opinions differ from mine. Which is fine.

But I won't be so relaxed when the choice to my own body is legislated and stripped from me, as current lawmakers are attempting to do.

Let's go even farther back. Planned Parenthood, from the root of the name, encourages family planning. The organization strives to provide accessible and affordable contraception, which prevents unwanted pregnancies, which prevents abortions. Which is why even if you're pro-life, you should support Planned Parenthood.

So maybe stop, you know, burning it down and de-funding it and everything.

Restricting accessibility to birth control, reproductive freedom, and sex education just pushes us farther and farther away from a society that claims to care about a future life.

If you claim to be pro-life but want to shut down the largest organization that keeps women from having unwanted pregnancies, then you are part of the problem. You aren't voting to de-fund abortion. You are voting to de-fund cancer screenings, STI testing, contraception, and reproductive health services for men and women.

The newest bill that has been pushed through the legislative process aims to remove the right to abortion after 6 weeks. Most women aren't even aware they are pregnant until beyond 6 weeks.

Fatal birth defects aren't recognized until at least 20 weeks. How pro-life are you if you don't care about the effects on the mother? How pro-life are you if you ignore fatal birth defects that leave the family in shambles?

Current politicians and government officials have shown time and time again that they care very little for women or for children who have ended up in foster care because their mother could not afford a pregnancy she never wanted. But We The People have the ability and the duty to stand up for these women and these children.

If this article resonated with you, do your part and notify our legislators that you are a voter that supports Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood Advocates In Missouri Petition

https://www.weareplannedparenthoodaction.org/onlin...