STATEMENT - People Power United's statement on the Planned Parenthood case in Texas

🗽A well informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.

In response to the announcement of Texas US district court judge, Matthew Kasmaryck to order a trial for April 2024 against Planned Parenthood, People Power United issued the following statement on behalf of our members:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 25, 2023

People Power United stands with Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood did not commit Medicaid fraud. There is zero evidence of Medicaid fraud. Planned Parenthood is a non-profit organization that abides by the law. As a result of this case, individuals with limited means, women, and those from minority backgrounds may have limited access to essential healthcare services, such as contraception, cancer screenings, and other basic medical services. Planned Parenthood Federation of America and all Planned Parenthood health centers are dedicated to ensuring that people of all financial backgrounds have access to quality reproductive and health care and resources.

“In Texas, politicians are recklessly attempting to block people from accessing Planned Parenthood services. We firmly believe that everyone has the right to decide what happens to their body, no matter their location or financial situation. We stand in solidarity with Planned Parenthood and are calling on Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton to abandon this unjust lawsuit against them.

People Power United will continue to push back against injustices and holding our leaders accountable to the people they serve. There is no power like that of the people, and People Power United stands ready to protect our communities against any and all injustices,” said Laurie Woodward García of People Power United.

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People Power United champions progressive values and power to the people.

Resources

Reproductive care includes: contraception, fertility, pregnancy, miscarriage and abortion care.

Shout out to Reframing America for sharing:

What is this debate about?

“Access to abortion care is about freedom and equality for women.”

“It’s about the fundamental and constitutional right to control your own body in accordance with your own beliefs.”

“It’s about the violation of women’s fundamental rights to physical and medical self-determination.”

“It’s about the immorality of the state forcing women to use their bodies in ways they don’t want their bodies to be used.”

Medical Necessity

“dire medical emergencies / severe health complications”
“doctors intimidated / afraid to lose their licenses / be sent to jail.”
“forced to wait until their lives are actually in danger”
“forced to carry unviable fetuses to term”
“put a woman’s life at risk”
“maternal mortality”
“later or second-term abortion care” (not “late-term”)

Freedom

“Americans believe in freedom”
“fundamental and constitutional right”
“first and most essential condition of being a free person”
“have sole authority over your own body”

Alternatives to the phrase bodily autonomy:
Bodily: bodily / individual / physical / medical
Autonomy: sovereignty / liberty / freedom / self-determination

For example:
“individual liberty”
“bodily sovereignty”
“physical liberty” or “physical freedom”
“physical and medical self-determination”
“bodily sovereignty is an essential condition of freedom”
“your right to physical and medical self-determination”

Government Intrusion

(government) “interfere with  / take control over / intrude into”
“our freedom to make personal / private medical decisions”
“biological / medical surveillance”
“denied their right to / access to abortion care”
“right to decide / make decisions about…”
“…one’s own reproductive health including abortion care”
“…whether to continue / take on the risk of a pregnancy”
“strict government-mandate”
“extreme / total ban,” “goes too far”
“no exceptions for rape, incest, or the woman’s life”
“criminalize abortion care,” “putting women in jail”
“involuntary pregnancy”
“government mandated / forced pregnancy”
“forced to continue a pregnancy against their will”
“forced medical conscription”
“involuntary medical servitude” (violation of 13^th Amendment)
“immorality / gross violation of human rights”
“no government has the right to…”
“…exert control over the bodies of American citizens”
“…make / force women / people to…”
“…use their bodies in ways they don’t want their bodies to be used”
“…do things with their bodies that they don’t want to do”
“…remain pregnant for months and go through labor against their will”

“We do not use other people’s bodies against their will.” (Not even to save the life of another person.)

Equality

“We do not question men’s rights to absolute bodily sovereignty. For women to be free and equal members of this society, they must have sole authority over their physical selves, just as men do.”

“We need to pass the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). If women were truly free and equal members of American society, we wouldn’t have to ask permission from the government to make life or death decisions about our own bodies.”

Re: Overturning Roe v. Wade: “It's an unprecedented loss of rights. A step backwards. For the first time in our history, the Supreme Court took away established rights. For the first time, younger generations, younger women, have fewer rights than their parents had.”

Freedom of Religion

“Bans on abortion care violate our first amendment right to freedom of religion. They violate the ban on establishment of religion.”

“Major religions disagree. Opposition to abortion is a religious belief held by some, but not all, of the major religions practiced in our pluralistic and free society.”

“Banning abortion care is using government to force some people to live by other people’s religious beliefs. Laws that protect access to abortion care protect everyone’s right to live by their own religion.”