Planned Parenthood is an organization that causes debate throughout the U.S and also the world. Most know it as the place where women can get abortions, but what they don’t know is that Planned Parenthood is much more than that.

Planned Parenthood is a non-profit organization that operates not only in the U.S, but around the world as well. It provides an array of services for women, including abortion and contraception (such as birth control for women and condoms for men,) which has proven to be a controversial topic. They also provide breast and cervical cancer screenings. 100 years ago this year, way back in 1916 Planned Parenthood was started in Brooklyn.

So with all this information, where do I stand on Planned Parenthood? With all the research I did, I fully support funding Planned Parenthood. These life-saving services and disease-preventive measures are offered to women all around the world. Most importantly, their primary targets are the low income women who cannot afford the expensive medical costs of the life-saving screenings and birth control often provided by any doctor’s office.

For me personally, costs for birth control are through the roof.         For someone from a low-income background, it can be difficult or impossible to afford these services out of pocket. This is where Planned Parenthood comes in- they offer low cost birth control to those who need it. It is not just for low income women, but also for other women and teens who do not necessarily have supportive family or significant others, or may otherwise be unable to procure their necessities for reproductive health.

Many teens have parents who do not give them the sex talk. However, even for families who are sexually conservative, birth control has its uses. It is not just for contraception- it can also mitigate and regulate a certain process for some women. Many women and teen girls do not want to get pregnant at an early age. Thus, chemical birth control is an effective way to prevent pregnancy- that is why Planned Parenthood is needed.

Women also need daily cancer screenings. Having experienced both a close friend and my own grandmother having died from cancer, I know firsthand that these screenings are an absolute necessity. However, with screenings come heavy medical costs, and this is also where this organization comes in- they are able to support families and provide life-saving services to people who otherwise may not have been able to afford them. For these reasons, I support Planned Parenthood.

With all of these facts, I feel secure knowing that if I need to, I can go to Planned Parenthood and receive these services. This is why we need Planned Parenthood. It is needed for all women- not just teen girls. Defunding Planned Parenthood would mean that many women and teens would suffer from the rising medical costs of today’s age.

With the election coming up, we all should be aware of how our candidates view Planned Parenthood. We all need an organization like this; it is providing some good in a world where all we see these days is bad.