The House of Representatives is 80.6 percent male. The Senate is 80 percent male. In the past, both the House and the Senate have been overwhelmingly, well, male. So why, then, in a country where more than half the population is female, are lawmaking bodies (composed of mostly men!) deciding what women are or aren’t allowed to do with their reproductive health?
In 2015, the Senate proposed a bill titled “Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015,” calling for the prohibition of federal funds for any purpose to Planned Parenthood.
What does this bill really mean? What do senators really want to say?
No more abortions.
But to the 80 percent male Senate, how can you tell a female what she is allowed to do with her body when you will never know what it is like to be pregnant or face the decision of abortion? Do you even know what Planned Parenthood does? Let’s check some facts.
Planned Parenthood provides nearly 400,000 Pap tests and 500,000 breast exams a year to detect cancer in women.
Planned Parenthood provides about 4.5 million tests and treatments for STDs, critical for women’s helath.
Planned Parenthood provides education and outreach programs for 1.5 million young people each year.
Only 3 percent of their services are abortion services.
And government funding of Planned Parenthood isn’t allocated to its abortion services. In other words, government money doesn’t pay directly for abortions, but for other services. Interesting information, isn’t it?
Check the facts next time, would you, senators?
It’s a wonder to me why this topic isn’t more important in this year’s presidential race, but I guess the economy comes first– it happens. Yet it is important to know the candidates who have made their views on Planned Parenthood known and their stances on the subject. Even though ISIS seems like a more imminent threat, voter, male and female alike, should be taking what these four candidates have to say to heart before voting.
Democratic candidates: Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton
Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton have both taken a stance against the Republican Party’s bill to defund Planned Parenthood. Sander’s issued a statement in July last year saying that cutting funding “will be devastating to the health needs of millions of women who desperately need the quality services Planned Parenthood Provides.”
However, Clinton takes a leg-up on Sanders as Planned Parenthood endorsed Clinton in January. This is the first time Planned Parenthood has publicly backed a primary candidate in its 100-year history, and Clinton issued her own statement about Planned Parenthood, saying “I have stood with you throughout my life and certainly through my career… As your president, I will always have your back.”
Though I most likely will be voting Republican in this election, these two candidates, especially Clinton, have presented their views about women’s reproductive rights in a way that not one voter should ignore.
Republican candidates to look at: Donald Trump and Ted Cruz
We all heard the news; John Kasich signed a bill Sunday that blocked government funds to Planned Parenthood and other organizations that preforms abortions in his home state of Ohio Feb. 21. Yet Kasich is not one of the Republican front-runners, and these frontrunner’s views haven’t splashed the news lately. So let’s take a quick look.
In a statement released in August of last year, Ted Cruz called for the defunding of Planned Parenthood, stating, “an organization that generates a large part of its revenue from terminating innocent human life should not receive one penny of taxpayer money.”
May I remind you, Senator Cruz, that only 3 percent of Planned Parenthood’s services are abortions? Hmm.
Expecting to be let down by Donald Trump’s opinions, I was pleasantly surprised with his statements on Planned Parenthood. (I’m shocked too, I promise). Trump supports Planned Parenthood except for the abortion procedures, and would “be fine with government money going to Planned Parenthood if it wasn’t going to be used on abortions.”
My favorite part about his statements? Trump claims men aren’t in the best place to judge.
“I have many, many friends who are woman who understand Planned Parenthood better than you or I will ever understand it,” Trump said to host of NBC’s “Meet the Press” Chuck Todd. “And they do some very good work. Cervical cancer, lots of women’s issues, women’s health issues are taken care of.”
I hate to admit it, but this might be the one issue that I support Trump on. (The rest? Not so much).
In a world still dominated by men, it’s time for them to realize that women should have a say in what they can or can’t do with their bodies. To the presidential candidates, get your facts right. Representing over half of the U.S. population, you need the woman’s vote.
