Swallowing gun powder, throwing herself downstairs, hitting her stomach with a meat pulverizer, probing herself with a knitting needle or the infamous hanger: While these all may sound like torture tactics, they are only few of the dangerous ways a woman could conduct an abortion if health clinics, such as Planned Parenthood, were not available to provide the procedure.
In order to protect women from these dangerous techniques, and to guarantee their equality plus security, continuing to federally fund Planned Parenthood for is the most just course of action that the U.S. government can take.
For almost 100 years, Planned Parenthood has provided sexual-health services to people of all backgrounds. These serv- ices include exams, HIV/AIDS testing, STD testing, cancer screening and abortion services. Lately, many opponents of Planned Parenthood want the government to stop funding the organization’s clinics. While the abortion services that Planned Parenthood offers are not federally funded by law, opponents of the organization do not want their tax money to go toward a place that provides abortion. On the other hand, the proponents of the clinic believe that taking away Planned Parenthood would create more complications for women surrounding their reproductive rights and create a less-secure environment for women to conduct abortions.
Planned Parenthood receives federal funding through two services: Medicaid and Title X. Both Title X and Medicaid target low- to middle-income Americans. According to a March 2015 U.S. Government Accountability Office study, 79 percent of Planned Parenthood patients lived at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty line – about $18,500 for a single adult. The same study found that the government provides about 40 percent of Planned Parenthood’s overall revenue for the year, or $1.3 billion. This suggests that the organization would be in dire financial straits without the help. As a result, more and more women, men and children who cannot afford health care would be denied access to the health services that Planned Parenthood offers for free.
While blocking funds for Planned Parenthood might lead to less governmental spending, unintended pregnancies could increase, which, in the long run, could cause more governmental spending because the majority of Planned Parenthood’s patients live below the poverty line, as would their children, who would qualify for federal services.
Those who wish to defund Planned Parenthood argue that their money should not go toward abortions within the clinic. What many do not know is that federal law prohibits public funding from paying for any abortion-related services. Further, abortions account for only 3 percent of Planned Parenthood’s overall services while STD/STI testing accounts for 42 percent of Planned Parenthood’s services, birth control and contraceptives represent 34 percent of the organization’s work and cancer screening comprises 9 percent of the services.
Ultimately, the justification for funding Planned Parenthood transcends mere facts and figures. John Rawls, a 20th century political philosopher, declared that “Each person is to have an equal right to the most extensive basic liberty compatible with a similar liberty for others.” Rawls felt that without positive liberties, or liberties that allow one to act on their free will, we are not truly free unless everyone has an equal opportunity to success. Rawls uses his “justice as fairness” to prove equality as the top priority of a society. Continuing to fund Planned Parenthood would fall in accordance with this philosophy, in that the funding would give all women, men and children who are struggling financially a chance at health and reproductive services that Planned Parenthood offers for little to no money.
In addition to aligning with Rawls’ philosophy of justice, federally funding Planned Parenthood would comply with the Constitution’s Ninth and 14th amendments. The Ninth Amendment ensures that rights or powers enumerated in the Constitution cannot be interpreted to deny individuals other rights. The 14th Amendment ensures a woman’s right to privacy when seeking medical services. Both amendments protect the personal rights of women who are in need of Planned Parenthood’s services.
Funding Planned Parenthood is a means of providing some equality to those who are struggling financially, as well as gives security to women who use Planned Parenthood for all its many services – including abortion – conducted safely and professionally. That is an important investment.
Claire Larson is a student in Ashley Carruth’s 11th grade humanities class at Animas High School. Her parents are Margaret and Rich Larson.
