In Tennessee, Marsha Blackburn Doesn’t Speak for Me

Well, partly, that’s because she’s not my Representative. She does come from my home state of Tennessee, though, and has reintroduced a federal bill – the Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act – to strip Title X family planning funding from any clinic that also provides abortions. Effectively, that’s more of the same “defund Planned Parenthood!” nonsense Republicans have been attempting for the past several years. Here’s the thing: anti-abortion politicians and groups have been spreading the idea for years that there is some problem with Planned Parenthood getting Title X money, like maybe there’s some secret conspiracy in which the funds really are just paying for abortions all over the place. They do their best to imply that this money is somehow actually paying for abortions through vague insinuations. Why bother trying to take the money for contraception away, unless you either: a) think it’s being misused, b) have a grudge against Planned Parenthood because they do provide abortions and can’t stand their getting any money whatsoever no matter how legit or unrelated the reason, c) think other infrastructure is available and more appropriate to deliver family planning services, at the capacity we have now via PP, and/or d) don’t support actually helping poor people with the means to limit their families as desired? If it’s A, I say, prove it. I see the allegation of a vague concern of misuse...
Source: Women's Health News - Category: Medical Librarians Authors: Tags: Abortion Access, Rights, & Choice Adolescent Health Contraception Government HIV/AIDS Pregnancy Sex & Sex Education Diane Black family planning Marsha Blackburn Planned Parenthood Tennessee Title X Source Type: blogs