Hey there!  I am a long-time Planned Parenthood activist/volunteer/supporter, and now I actually work at PP which has been a goal of mine for years.  

I just wanted to thank you for your tumblr. We deal with so much hate and opposition, and whenever I read your blog I remember that there are people who support us and understand why we’re needed and how we’ve helped so many people throughout the years.

So, thank you. Thanks for being on our side, and thanks for being vocal about it. It means a lot to me, and I’m sure it means a lot to all of my fellow PP employees.

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This makes me so happy, thank you!! I look up to people like you so much because I’ve been a volunteer for PP for several years and I hope to continue doing so, and maybe even one day work for them. 

Thank you for putting your time, effort, and love into this organization. I will endlessly fight for and support Planned Parenthood and I know our followers feel the same way.

-Rachel

Salt Lake City teens!

First of all, I wanted to say what a great thing you have going here. I wish there was a site like this to help me when I was searching through a sea of Google results looking for help. I wish I knew more peoples stories back then, so I thought I’d share my own.

Needless to say, I was filled with terror and anxiety surrounding my first visit. I walked into the metro location, and was welcomed with smiles and a warm energy. They simply handed me a clipboard to fill out my information, and once that was done I was just waiting to be seen. Once my name was called, I was taken into a private room, and asked simple questions about my sexual history. All you have to do is answer honestly and openly, and they gave me my prescription, which ended up costing me under $10, (although the price does vary person to person). The man who questioned me was lighthearted, making small jokes and making me feel more at ease, and I knew I wasn’t being judged for anything I was saying, and there was really nothing to be afraid of!

I was honest about my information, phone numbers, addresses, and my parents were never contacted. No mail was sent to my house, and no phone rang with Planned Parenthood on the other end ready to divulge my most intimate secrets.

The reason you want to be honest is not because they are interested in your personal life, it’s because they are concerned with your health. The questions are tedious, but necessary to determine the perfect birth control for you. They do have free condoms should you chicken out and choose to run!

Anyway, I highly recommend the 654 south 900 East location for any SLC readers. Remember that there is nothing to be afraid of, and you’re making a great and responsible decision.

Thank you so much for running such a wonderful blog! :)

Would you please share this video with your followers & ask them to do the same?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USQSraEU2jw
Unite against the war on women with others across the country in Columbus Ohio this Saturday! 

Both I and my younger (sixteen year-old) sister live at home. Yesterday, I tugged her into my room, shut the door and dialled Planned Parenthood. Within five minutes, I had booked us both back-to-back appointments with one of the local doctors who works with PP to provide low-cost health care. Why?

I’m looking to get an IUD. I did my research, and then last month I went in to see a GP at the walk-in health clinic down the street. The first thing she told me was, “I’m a GP, so IUDs aren’t my thing.” Then she proceeded to tell me what I knew were outright lies or misinformation about IUDs: that I couldn’t get one because I was too young and doctors generally don’t give them to women under 35, that the IUD would “obliterate” my endometrium, that using an IUD now would make it difficult or impossible for me to ever get pregnant when I was older. After that, she systematically shot down all of my other birth control options but the Pill (including one memorable point where she abruptly advised me to start going to the gym and working out because I needed to lose weight, based on what she could see of me while wearing my parka. When I asked why she would even say that, she replied that it was because I was too fat to use the Patch). Her big selling point of the Pill was that it would get rid of my acne (which is minimal), rather than anything that actually related to my contraceptive needs… and all this while completely ignoring the fact that I’d opened the appointment by saying that I was looking for a form of birth control that was low-maintenance and long-term.

My sister also needs birth control, but her situation is different than mine. She’s sexually active (whereas I am not, and am merely being optimistic). Our mom found out and flipped her lid; then, when my sister asked for help in getting on the Pill, my mom told her it wasn’t necessary and it wasn’t going to happen, because she wasn’t allowed to be having sex. My sister then came to me for help.

My opinion on whether or not my sixteen year-old sis should be having sex is irrelevant; all I know is that she is having sex and wants to be safe about it. As things are, though, my sister can’t get her birth control covered by insurance (like my IUD) or by our parents, meaning that it has to come out of her pocket (or mine, because like hell I’m leaving my little sis to have unsafe sex for lack of resources). It also means that she has to be able to hide whatever form of birth control she gets, making the Pill a bad choice. So I turned to Planned Parenthood.

We’ve got our appointments next week. I know that when we go, I’ll be getting accurate information from a doctor who will listen to what I say, and who will be able to put my IUD in on the second appointment; and my sister will be getting low-cost, low-maintenance birth control that’s easy to hide for the next few years. And I know that this will keep us safer than we would be without it, and without Planned Parenthood.

I attended a meet and greet with Cecile Richards today at my school, Montana State University, and it was incredible!

I’ve never gone to Planned Parenthood but, as a young woman, just knowing they are there brings me so much comfort. If I need help I just have to ask.

I love what PP does so much and I’m planning on volunteering there as soon as I’m old enough.

PP was there, when nobody else was.

I feel safe at PP because people they are sweet, and never pass judgement. I’ve been unemployed for months, and was about to run out of my birth control from when I had insurance, and a job. The women working there were the nicest people I’ve met in any medical setting, my former doctor included. I was given one year worth of the exact birth control I was already on, condoms, and my pap also. The didn’t charge me a dime, but always ask if you wish to donate. Being on unemployment that barely covers rent, and doing side work for friends between job apps, and interviews I have very little. I donated the emergency 5 dollars I kept in my purse, because they were there in my emergency, and made me feel like someone of worth, when I was feeling pretty worthless. I hope to have a job again someday soon, so I can send in donations regularly to the one place that made me feel safe during these uncertain times. If I didn’t have the birth control I have once again, I would be in bedridden with cramping pains, and the headaches that went with them.

I will always stand with Planned Parenthood. They care about women, when so many others just, don’t.

There is no price for peace of mind

I was 19 and had just entered into my second sexual relationship, I don’t remember who referred me, and I remembered being terrified when checking in that I’d bump into my vehemently anti-abortion aunt (who had herself had so many abortions as a teen that she rendered herself sterile) when all I was there for was to inquire about Oral Contraceptives.

I was pleasantly shocked when I was in and out with a year’s supply of the Pill and extra condoms to boot.

A year later I’d moved across the country, but was still able to check into a Planned Parenthood office. This time, they not only gave me some more oral contraceptives and condoms to hold me over, they signed me up with a program that allowed me to get an IUD.

My first year on Oral Contraceptives was a constant state of panicked “Did I remember to take my pill?!”, but these last four years with a Mirena have provided me so much more opportunity to enjoy myself and worry about much more important things than whether or not I can trust myself and my body.

I still have a year left on my Mirena, and I think when it expires I’ll get a new one, just so that children aren’t something I have to worry about until if/when I’m stable enough and ready for a child.

And without Planned Parenthood, I not only would not have known about the Mirena, much less been able to afford it, I probably would still be trapped praying a broken condom or a mistimed ejaculation wasn’t going to ruin my life.

My story

I’ve been to Planned Parenthood twice now. Both times for Plan B. I use to think “Oh I’d never be one of those girls to go there” and I never thought that cause I thought it was bad, but because I wasn’t sexually active til I turned 19. Once I didn’t use a condom stupidly, and the second the condom broke. I was terrified and was scared to tell friends or family so I hopped over to PP. They were incredibly helpful. 

And the second time after using Plan B, and I was late on my period I went there again. Never once did I feel judged for going in for a free pregnancy test. No one made me feel uncomfortable. Even when I started crying when I found out I wasn’t pregnant - tears of joy - the woman was very sweet and helpful.

Thank you Planned Parenthood for all you do.  

Parents just don’t understand

I am from a small town in New Hampshire. When I became sexually active in high school, my (very) Catholic parents’ response was to reprimand me rather than inform me of the risks and responsibilities that come with having sex. At 17, I felt that Planned Parenthood was the only place I could go for information, for contraception, and for std-testing. The staff there was always compassionate and welcoming. My hope is that all young women could have such a positive experience learning to take responsibility for their sexual and reproductive health; it’s something all women must do and no man can dictate. 

NIGHTNIGHT by DEDDY