NEWS

The battle of Planned Parenthood

By Chanel Stitt
Staff Writer

On January 23, a decision was made that changed the lives of many people all across the country. The executive order was signed by President Trump to defund organizations that related to being pro-choice for women to be able to get abortions.

Planned Parenthood is a government funded organization that provides access to birth control, abortions, the morning-after pill, how to protect yourself from STDs and women’s health in general.

Along with those services is a lot of information for teenage girls and the process of growing up and experiencing changes. They receive guidance and advice on relationships and teen pregnancy.

The organization has been around for 100 years as of October 2016. They are advocates for the LGBTQ community and giving advice to parents about starting conversations early about sexuality so that they grow up confident with who they are.

Like many other issues that have came up since Trump’s presidency, the country has divided itself into two groups.

Pro-life supporters believe abortions should be illegal and any organization that supports this should not receive government funded money. Normally, pro-life supporters will state that even though the child is not born yet, it is still a form of life. These supporters tend to be Republicans.

Pro-choice supporters think that women have the right to choose whether they want an abortion or not. They believe all pregnancies are not by choice, including those that happen after women have been raped. Democrats are normally pro-choice.

The talk about women getting unsafe abortions has been a large topic in the country since the executive order. The process is illegal but it is believed that it will still be attempted on a daily basis if Planned Parenthood is not available to assist these women.

Both sides of the protests were held in Ann Arbor, one to defund Planned Parenthood and two to counter the protest.

The pro-choice rally was held at Planned Parenthood Ann Arbor – West on Feb. 11 at 8 A.M. before the pro-life rally that started at 10:00 A.M. The other pro-choice rally was held at the location on 3100 Professional Drive, also in Ann Arbor.

The two opposing sides went back and forth protesting for what they believed. The pro-life was on the left side of the sidewalk and pro-choice was on the right. The pro-life side set their signs up as they waited for their rally to begin after the pro-choice ended.

Many cars drove by and honked their horns in support of Planned Parenthood. Some people watched the pro-life side slowly start to gain protesters and read their signs. There was one sign that read “Planned Parenthood is racist.”

Signs on the pro-choice side had phrases such as “I stand with Planned Parenthood” and “don’t judge people for the choices they make when you don’t know the options they had to choose from.”

The rally went on with many speakers on the open mic at the Ann Arbor – West location until they got into their cars and drove to the next one.

“If pro-lifers were truly pro-life, they would fight for the lives of people who get abortions,” said Keysha Wall, a Planned Parenthood activist.. “They would fight for the funding and expansion of reproductive rights and women’s’ rights and they would be standing with us today fighting for the protection of Roe v. Wade.”