By: Lexi Stefani
Within a matter of weeks, the coronavirus crisis has revealed a lot about who we are as a society. We’ve seen examples of mass hysteria and hoarding, with misinformation and fear being spread at alarming rates. But we’ve also witnessed incredible ingenuity, unity, and selflessness in innumerable ways. Brave medical professionals put their lives on the line every day to provide crucial care. Countless others who work in life sustaining businesses, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, and gas stations, have worked in intense and strained conditions to make sure that society stays running.
However, we have also witnessed Planned Parenthood show their true colors in an unprecedented way. Governors throughout the United States have ordered for all non-essential or non-life sustaining businesses to close down, including those that perform elective surgeries. This is crucial to both stop the spread of covid-19 as well as to free up essential protective gear for medical professions such as gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer. Yet, Planned Parenthood has been refusing to do their part and comply with these orders.
Even worse, they have asked for private donations of medical supplies, even sharing instructions on how people can make masks to use for purposes surrounding their elective abortions. At the same time, LancasterOnline has reported that: “An organization representing Pennsylvania hospitals said this week that some could run out of masks and other equipment in a matter of days or even hours as they become flooded with COVID-19 patients, according to The Associated Press.” Every mask or similar PPE used in an elective abortion by Planned Parenthood could have been used by a doctor fighting the coronavirus.
Their clinics in Pennsylvania remain open to perform elective abortions, even though abortions could not be more of an antithesis to the term “life sustaining.”
The reality is that Planned Parenthood is a business that exists to make money through abortions. And it’s big business for them in Pennsylvania, profiting from 15,000 abortions every year; half of the state’s annual total. Despite what they may say about abortion only being a small part of what they do, it is revealing that in times of crisis their clinics remain open only to provide elective abortions.
This isn’t news; we’ve known for a while now that Planned Parenthood’s main concern is making profits through abortions, not women’s health. (Click here to watch a great video debunking the myth that only 3% of what Planned Parenthood does is abortions.) However, Planned Parenthood’s most recent actions reveal more clearly than ever what their true intentions are.
Women deserve better than Planned Parenthood.
There may be some who are reading this and thinking, “But abortions are essential! What if a woman’s life is in danger? What if she has health complications and needs an abortion?” This would be a compelling point if abortions were ever medically necessary, but the truth is that this is never the case. Preterm delivery is always an option instead of an abortion, and it gives the baby a chance of survival. (Click here to see a more detailed explanation from a neonatologist.)
The coronavirus pandemic is an unprecedented hurdle for our country. At a time when we should all be doing all we can to stop the spread of the virus, Planned Parenthood has prioritized profits over people and abortion over stopping the spread of COVID-19. I am optimistic that, when this is all over, our society will be changed for the better, with a new appreciation for the gift of life. May we also leave this pandemic seeing Planned Parenthood for what it truly is and embracing the value of life – inside and outside of the womb.
Lexi Stefani is Communications and Policy Officer for the Pennsylvania Family Institute.
