It’s no secret that the Trump administration is one of the most conservative, anti-abortion administrations the U.S. has seen. With his many efforts to limit reproductive rights as well as defund and shut down Planned Parenthood, the administration’s actions have had real effects on the everyday people that depend on the services of Planned Parenthood. Students of James Logan High School continue to worry about how this may affect the availability of necessary contraceptives and other important programs.
“Defunding Planned Parenthood will not be a good solution for anyone. Pro-lifers don’t really realize that Planned Parenthood provides more than abortions, and if we were to get rid of the organization, we would see an overwhelming increase of the population in foster homes and most likely prisons,” junior Joshua DeMiguel said.
It’s important to realize the diversity and impact of the organization and the many individuals that rely on its healthcare services. These include not only abortion, but cancer screenings, birth control, STD/HIV testing and more. Defunding the organization will not prevent abortions from occurring, but instead strip millions of patients from crucial services.
Although people don’t often talk about it, high school students often find themselves in need of Planned Parenthood services. At Logan, some of your classmates are those students. One Logan student, who asked for anonymity, expressed their concern for the organization, highlighting their experience with abortion and birth control.
“I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do and I was too young and not financially stable enough for a baby” the student said. “I went to them and they helped me through the whole process and made me feel safe. Later, I started birth control because of premenstrual dysphoric disorder and it helped a lot. I honestly don’t know what I would do without birth control because I tried many methods beforehand and none of them worked. It’s my body, and no one should be dictating what I do with it.”
Many women have had the same experiences with abortion and birth control. However, their access to these services could become limited or even nonexistent. Planned Parenthood makes these services as accessible and affordable as possible, but this could change with the Administration’s agenda and a more conservative Supreme Court.
Planned Parenthood has done their best to fight back against these attacks. The organization has released a number of public statements on their website regarding the attack on their services.
“The administration has tried to shut down Planned Parenthood in every way possible — in presidential budgets, health care reform bills, tax reform legislation, and federal resolutions and regulations, as well as in nominating anti-Planned Parenthood judges and appointing anti-Planned Parenthood officials,” Planned Parenthood posted on their website. “The Trump-Pence administration keeps trying to block access to care at Planned Parenthood health centers, which serve more than 2.4 million people each year — including many who have nowhere else to go for basic health services.”
It’s very clear that it’s necessary to protect Planned Parenthood and their millions of patients, many of which are James Logan students. We must urge our community to vote in this coming election to ensure that the organization is not stripped of their funding — and to protect the many individuals that rely on their services.
This year, all California residents that are registered to vote will receive ballots in the mail. For more information and guidance on the registration/voting process, visit registertovote.ca.gov.
California is also experiencing a shortage of poll workers due to COVID-19, so if you will be 16 by election day, call the Alameda County Election office at (510)-272-6973 to become a paid poll worker.
