Crude: No Matter What

Recently, Planned Parenthood's Young "Professionals" group held an event here in Columbus called "Dance No Matter What."  

We were not at the event (our invitation was probably lost in the mail). However, we happened to see a few photos from the event's photo booth posted on social media accounts, all of which were public.  These were pretty shocking.  

Crude. No Matter What. Your tax dollars support Planned Parenthood. Do you?

In this first photo, you will notice three young, ostensibly professional, women. All three are standing in front of a cardboard cutout of Cecile Richards. Two of them have gaping smiles while a third, standing in the center, is pantomiming oral sex on a LifeStyles brand wooden penis that a condom has been applied to.  It seems reasonably likely that this is one of the "tools" that Planned Parenthood uses to teach students sex education. 

Another photo has four young "professionals" (two men and two women) posing with a cutout of Cecile Richards floating in the background. One young woman holds what appears to be a rainbow wind catcher. She smiles toward the camera while the two "men" in the photo caricature shoving their condom-topped wooden penises toward the mouth of a second woman, who is wearing a condom headband adorned with a feather and giving the camera a "thumbs up."  

Nothing says "Respect" like two guys shoving a faux penises toward the mouth of a woman wearing a Native American (esque) feathered headband.

What is wrong with these people?  For the last year we have read article after article about how progressive organizations are calling for an end to racially insensitive Halloween costumes, ending the hipster headdress, and numerous campus protests over racial tensions. Perhaps it is time for Planned Parenthood to revisit their youth program model on cultural competence and respecting diversity (Note: we are not necessarily trying to address the issues of politically correct Halloween costumes or sports mascots today.  But the links above are from organizations and movements that self identify as strongly supporting abortion rights and that tend to defend Planned Parenthood, no matter what...).

Even if you are not bothered by the "Indian Princess" headband made out of condoms (complete with bedraggled white feather), you should be bothered by the photo of two men shoving wooden phalli toward a woman.  Perhaps we should have called this photo "Hypocrisy... No Matter What." 

This event appears to have the theme "Don't take away our healthcare" - because nothing says legitimate healthcare like drinks, sex toys, and condom headdresses.

We are only including a few of the photos, but do not be deceived - there are dozens of them posted online.  We also blurred out the faces of the people depicted in them. Contrary to the popular narrative, our goal is not to shame women (or men), although we think that shame is probably an appropriate response in this instance.  In reality, we are just trying to do what we do each day - expose the truth of abortion, expose the truth of the nation's biggest abortion provider, and call the community to something better.

Unless you have been living under a rock, you've probably heard that state and federal lawmakers are working to pass legislation that redirects state funding away from organizations that perform abortions (like Planned Parenthood). Commentators would have you believe that this will endanger women's health, legitimate sex education, women's rights, and youth empowerment.   Others have argued that those who oppose abortion should not oppose the work that Planned Parenthood does because "only 3%" is abortion.  What percentage of their work is raunchy advocacy events?  We think that Planned Parenthood is wrong on these issues.  What do you think? Do sex toys, condom headdresses, and crude gesturing say "legitimate healthcare" to you?  Is this really the best and wisest use of our taxpayer dollars?  Is this really what we want for our children?  We say no.  If you agree, join us or support our work today.