Planned Parenthood Keeps its Doors Open After the Election
Planned Parenthood Mid-Hudson Valley held a Reproductive Justice Strategizing session on the Sunday following the Presidential Election. In response to the recent win of President Elect Donald Trump, who has spoken out against Planned Parenthood and the legalization of abortion, employees and concerned citizens gathered at their facilities in Newburgh. Members of the Mid-Hudson Valley community filled the lobby of the Planned Parenthood with children, their parents, grandparents, students and minorities. They joined together to share potluck dishes, their post-election stresses and plans for the future of their country and their cause.
“It’s wonderful that all of these people have come together — men and women, young and old,” said Helen Ulrich, the Chair of the Board of Directors for Planned Parenthood Mid-Hudson Valley. “It’s really heartening but we have a lot of work to do.”
To start the conversation, Public Affairs Coordinator Ashley Casale read a statement from Planned Parenthood Federation of America President and CEO Cecile Richards. “These. Doors. Stay. Open.” she announced, a message that was confidently repeated throughout the afternoon and flashed from bright pink signs. Casale then opened up the floor for anyone to discuss their feelings on the presidential election and any events that followed. Many spoke through tears — of concerns for their children and minorities and the future of their country. Others opened up about their close ties to Planned Parenthood.
“I’m having trouble because my husband isn’t as upset as I am,” a participant shared.
“I’m angry because the first president my daughter will remember is a sexual assaulter,” one mother said.
“I remember carrying around a phone number when abortion was illegal,” said another woman. “I don’t want to go back there for everyone.”
Frances Fox-Pizzonia, Vice President of Education and Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood, saw a silver lining through these hardships. “We are mobilizing and engaging more and more people in this fight,” she said.
With more numbers and such a significant turn out at their first meeting, Planned Parenthood will be able to accomplish more nationally and at an intimate level. Local facilities have opportunities for volunteers to help in simple ways, like sitting with patients after a procedure or escorting them past protesters. They also organize volunteers to help with education and advocacy, through street outreach, community canvassing and attending rallies.
“Numbers work,” asserted Helen Ulrich, explaining that Planned Parenthood would make it easy for activists to sign letters that would then go towards legislation or directly to the senate. Specifically, the organization aims to use their numbers to advocate for a more moderate appointment to the Supreme Court. “We need to make sure that, either individually or together, we put as much pressure on the senate Democrats to stand strong for us,” she said.
These concerns stem from President Elect Donald Trump’s implications towards defunding Planned Parenthood and overturning Roe V. Wade, the Supreme Court Case that legalized abortion on a national level back in 1973.
“I am committed to defunding Planned Parenthood as long as they continue to perform abortions and reallocating their funding to community health centers that provide comprehensive healthcare for women,” Trump stated in a letter to pro-life leaders back in September. Following his election, Trump maintained his stance on appointing a pro-life judge into the Supreme Court. “Having to do with abortion — if [Roe V. Wade] were overturned, it would go back to the states,” he said, adding that “[women] will perhaps have to go — they’ll have to go to another state.”
No matter the state of abortion laws, Planned Parenthood provides health services to patients beyond that of contraception. In New York state, only 15 percent of Planned Parenthood’s services are dedicated to abortion services, while 85 percent go towards other forms of health care like tobacco succession and diabetes screening. Facilities nationwide see an even larger gap, with only 3 percent going towards abortion services and 97 percent elsewhere.
Additionally, that small percentage of abortion services helps to prevent unsafe abortions elsewhere. “We know that when people can’t get safe care, they might get unsafe care from unlicensed providers,” said Clinician and Transgender Health Services Program Director, Yonah EtShalom.
“A lot of [opposition] is because people don’t understand what we do,” said Frances Fox-Pizzonia.“We have to have these conversations so we can understand each other’s perspectives.”
Immediately following Sunday’s conversation on reproductive justice, Ashley Casale led attendees in a demonstration outside of the Planned Parenthood building. They lined up along either side of the street holding signs that read, “Stand With Planned Parenthood,” and “Don’t Take Away Our Care.” Since the election, employees have reported an increase in oppositional picketers and protesters outside of their facilities. But that afternoon, Planned Parenthood countered this with an entire group of passionate advocates for their cause.
Moving forward, Planned Parenthood Mid-Hudson Valley wants a group of dedicated activists in each county. Once a month, they will continue to hold similar meetings at local facilities in Newburgh, Kingston, Poughkeepsie and Monticello. They also plan to offer affordable busing to the Million Women March in D.C. the day after the presidential inauguration. Then on January 30, Planned Parenthood will bus people to Albany to march in the Family Day of Action.
Whatever the future holds for Planned Parenthood, Frances Fox-Pizzonia promised to ensure a healthy transition into that. “Our message to people is that you should always get the health care that you need,” she said. “Don’t delay — come to us.” Despite their obstacles, the representatives from Planned Parenthood insisted that “These. Doors. Stay. Open.”
