P is for PAP!

in the years after college when i couldn't afford health insurance, planned parenthood was the only place i could make an appointment to see a doctor free of charge or extremely low-cost. typically, the uninsured/low-income are relegated to first come, first served clinics where you may or may not be seen after waiting ALL DAY. i found myself at a clinic like this a few times over the years. if i had an entire day free of obligations, i would arrive before 8am, sign in, and announce my ailment to the person at the desk. because i was not homeless and under 21, because i DID have an income, because i was not in as much need as those around me, i found it hard to be seen and would typically be told to go home after waiting for 3-4 hours among coughing homeless youth. my aching wisdom teeth went untreated, my bronchitis went untreated, but my reproductive health was accessible and affordable.

planned parenthood afforded me the opportunity to have a medical professional check my vitals once a year and make sure i was in good total health. the doctors went beyond giving me my "annual exam" (yes, i'm talking about PAP smears) by checking in and making sure there wasn't anything larger that might need attention. i even had a doctor check out some conspicuous looking moles one time. planned parenthood is so much more than an "abortion clinic". it provides a safe space for scared young women (and men) to find out answers to questions. it provides birth control to PREVENT unplanned pregnancy, it provides a service that in this day in age is not available to the uninsured. so for those who would like to eliminate funding to planned parenthood, please think twice.