The Trump Administration recently announced it will block funds for Planned Parenthood, aiding the widespread movement to defund Planned Parenthood. After this decision was announced, I saw countless people celebrating the "pro-life" victory in defunding abortion.

Defunding Planned Parenthood is not something to be celebrating.

Yes, Planned Parenthood does provide abortions when requested, but they do so much more than this. Planned Parenthood offers access to birth control, emergency contraception, STD testing and treatment, cancer screenings, pregnancy services, and general health care. They provide all of this for more affordable prices than available elsewhere and are able to help millions of people each year with reproductive and general health, all of which saves lives.

Defunding Planned Parenthood doesn't just defund abortions. It defunds every service the organization offers, and this will put countless lives at risk. You can't call yourself "pro-life" for being against abortion while also supporting decisions that jeopardize the lives of people who rely on Planned Parenthood for health and reproductive care. Defunding Planned Parenthood will make it impossible for some people to afford the health care they need. It will make it impossible for some people to get treated for STDs that could kill them. You can say that people should just not have sex or have safe sex in order to avoid getting STDs, but defunding Planned Parenthood would also make it hard for people to practice safe sex or take preventive measures. Some people wouldn't be able to afford birth control anymore without Planned Parenthood, which could cause them to become pregnant or get a disease. If a person who was reliant on Planned Parenthood for birth control does become pregnant, they may not be able to afford pregnancy care, which is also offered by the organization, putting the pregnancy at risk. People may also not be able to afford cancer screenings elsewhere, and defunding Planned Parenthood would take away people's ability to access these screenings.

Planned Parenthood is not just abortion. It is a health care center. Nobody would say to defund a hospital or urgent care center, yet Planned Parenthood offers many of the same services for more affordable prices and people want to defund it and take away a person's access to potentially life-saving treatments.

Defunding Planned Parenthood will defund affordable health and reproductive care, and it will also defund legal abortions. This, however, will not end abortion. It will only end safe abortions and force women to turn to alternatives to terminate pregnancies, alternatives that will put women's lives at risk.

I stand with Planned Parenthood not only because I am pro-choice but also because I am pro-life. I am pro-life in that I believe a person's income shouldn't determine their right to life and health. Planned Parenthood provides that right to people who can't afford other options. You can't call yourself "pro-life" only when it comes to taking away a woman's right to choose but not when it comes to people being able to access potentially life saving health and reproductive care.

I stand with Planned Parenthood. I will always stand with Planned Parenthood. I hope you will too.