WASHINGTON, February 6, 2012 --Last week’s Susan G. Komen for the Cure decision to pull Planned Parenthood funding triggered outrage and raucous debates between pro-choicers and pro-lifers, especially on social media platforms where exchanges got heated. There is little room to change people’s minds on Komen’s flip flop decision to withdraw from PP about half million of the $98 million it doles out annually to breast cancer education, awareness, screening & treatment facilities. Since the move, PP raised $3 million, more than 5 times what it stood to lose, but there is a teachable moment in all of this.
After the decision, many pro-choicers said they’d punish Komen by no longer supporting them financially and to give money directly to PP. Several pro-lifers vowed to no longer donate to Komen, saying they had no clue part of their donations went to an organization that performs abortions. The simple fact is women stood to be harmed by private supporters vowing to withdraw assistance. The controversy opens up an opportunity for those who give to help teens, children and women discover non-political organizations to support, and non-political steps they can take to support women and their reproductive health. Here are ten ways that advocates on each portion of the spectrum in this issue can help women and their babies.
1. Give to charities that support already pregnant teen moms who have opted to carry their babies to term. All can agree that a teen who becomes pregnant is better positioned learning life skills, obtaining training and assistance with caring for that baby and support to complete her education than those who are left with no support. Research says that teen girls who give birth aspire to complete college and better their lives.
2. Educate yourself and share the knowledge. Part of the reason couples have unintended pregnancies is an absence of information about their fertility and ovulation cycle. Get educated about it personally and share that knowledge with friends. If there is a family friend or family member who is not comfortable giving their teens “the talk,” volunteer to help if you are comfortable to do that job. A recent study by the Center for Disease Control said that teens who became pregnant had no clue that they could have gotten impregnated the first time they had sex.
3. Be a mentor or support a mentor pairing organization. There are a number of young people growing in households and communities with little or no support, and with an inefficient number of mentors. The Big Brother and Big Sister programs have been pairing up underprivileged children with mentors for years. Mentors can make a difference. Mentors help children realize their future is not defined by the circumstances the live in or the places they come from, and that their future can be brighter than their past. Even if you do not have the time, talents or comfort to mentor a child, donate to programs that help support those who can.
4. Donate to Catholic Charities The Catholics are well known for sponsoring several thousands of charity programs nationwide and internationally that help the poor, immigrants and other disenfranchised communities, irrespective of the beneficiaries’ religion. Several programs focus on health programs for women including clinics that help women get baseline checkups, screenings, follow-up care and other preventive wellness assistance and care.
5. Talk to Legislature about women health services cuts. If there is a program on the chopping block that helps provide education and support to teens and women about feminine health issues, contact your representative and inquire if there are ways to sustain the program or ask if there are alternative funding options available which would enable those programs to continue. All realize that in this economy, several programs are subject to cut in order to decrease the growing deficit and state and local budget shortfalls. Nonetheless, there is room for creativity and for finding already allocated resources and funds to use for programs; and for using private and non-profit governmental partnerships to keep these programs in businesses and helping women.
6. Social Network New Women’s Health Studies. If you discover a new study, research or other data or article that edifies or clarifies a women’s health issue, share it in your social media networks. Retweet and post it on your Facebook wall or forward the email. The more women getting educated on these issues the better.
7. Support adoption agencies. Of course adoption is not the sole cure to unplanned births and the sole solution and alternative to abortion. However, those wanting to adopt face significant burdens and hurdles, financialy and administratively, when they attempt to adopt a child. It would be helpful for those who want to assist women who opt to give children up for adoption to encourage and urge lawmakers and administrators to decrease the roadblocks to adoption.
8. Support women running for office. Irrespective of party affiliation, chances are women have a biological bond which would perhaps make them more aware, and attuned to issues related to women and if elected may be more likely to advocate for laws and policies that assist women and children. It’s not to say that men cannot do a good job legislating women’s issues, just that women may be quicker to relate to a need and respond.
9. Volunteer to speak in schools. Sometimes young girls need to see more real in person examples of women doing phenomenal things, including being busy stay-at-home moms, to realize all the different options out there available to them. Research shows that those who aspire to college, a career and other accomplishments are less likely to succumb to pressure to have unprotected sex and get pregnant. Exposing more at-risk youth to powerful figureheads may help to assist in decreasing the number of teen pregnancies.
10. Be Open to Opposing Viewpoints. It is very easy to lose oneself in your own personal ideology and to hold on to your views stubbornly. But whenever debating or exchanging with others that hold opposing views, try to step back and consider the perspective of those arguing a position you don’t agree with and see if you can understand the other side. It can do wonders for bringing the parties closer together and for reaching compromise.
While not the solution, exploring different options could do wonders for our collective interest in helping women. Give it a try!
Read more Politics of Raising Children in The Communities at the Washington Times. Follow Jeneba Ghatt at @JenebaSpeaks. Her work can also be read at Politic365. She also co-hosts a Blog Talk Radio show called Right of Black which tackles current events and politics from a perspective not often seen in the mainstream media.
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