I recently received a bulk mailing funding request from Planned Parenthood – complete with a membership card in my name. (Seriously??? They obviously don’t see all the mail I get from conservative, Christian, pro-life organizations…)
I was curious what they had to say. The letter made me sad and a little bit mad. If I were to send them a reply, it would go something like this:
Dear Planned Parenthood,
I got your letter. But, I won’t be sending you a donation. I’d like to explain why.Your letter stated that we are now ‘living in a world where abortion is a luxury available only to people with privilege and means’. Abortion?!? A luxury???
I think you must have meant to use another word. A luxury is defined as the state of great comfort and extravagant living. Abortion, for your information, is far from a luxury. Let me tell you about it.
Did you know that there are many increased mental health risks following abortion? This includes anxiety disorders, depression, alcohol use/abuse, marijuana use/abuse, and suicidal behaviors.[1] That doesn’t sound like great comfort and extravagant living to me. I know many women – including myself - who have suffered some of these issues following abortion. Sometimes, they appear fine for many years but then struggle greatly after several decades.
You also said that attempts to limit abortion in our country represent ‘a fundamental crisis in health equity and racial justice’. Did you know that although Black non-Hispanics make up only 13% of our country’s population, they represent 27% of all abortions which occur?[2][3] And, that the vast majority of abortion facilities are located in neighborhoods with the highest minority populations?[4] That doesn’t seem right. Instead of helping minorities terminate their pregnancies, have you ever thought of providing the support they may need to carry their pregnancies to term?
You stated some disturbing statistics about maternal mortality. It is sad, indeed, that women are still dying in childbirth in our time and at higher rates than in the past. But, I wonder why this is pertinent to your plea for funding when Planned Parenthood does not provide prenatal care or delivery services?
For all these reasons, and so many more, I will not be supporting your organization.
Sincerely,
A woman who has had an abortion
I know…I know. I can get a bit sarcastic at times. I would never send a letter like this. I know it would not make one bit of difference. I will continue to hope and pray that hearts within Planned Parenthood and every other abortion facility are changed. Please join me in those prayers.
Until next time –
Kay
[1] Gentles, Ian; Lanfranchi, Angela; Ring-Cassidy, Elizabeth. Complications: Abortion’s Impact on Women, Second Edition. Toronto: The deVeber Institute for Bioethics and Social Research (2018).
[2] https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045221
[3] https://www.guttmacher.org/infographic/2017/abortion-rates-race-and-ethnicity
[4] https://www.congress.gov/115/meeting/house/106562/witnesses/HHRG-115-JU10-Wstate-ParkerS-20171101-SD001.pdf
