Behold another of my brain babies.

[spookyevilone]

Tumblr link here.

Relevant: Fuck yeah, figured out the stupid IMG size things so it's not wonky as hell!

This morning, I woke up angry. I didn't sleep very well last night, because I was angry. I have officially Had Enough of the bullshit attacks on Planned Parenthood by anti-women conservatives. I am tired of their funding being threatened every three months because, in addition to the massive amount of health services they provide, they also provide abortions. I posted on FB (as one does when one is in a frothy fit of rage, no?) a request for a poster, and detailed exactly what I wanted it to say and look like. Texty came through in spades, and created this. It's slowly crawling its way across the internet. I am very tempted to Zazzle the shit out of it and turn it into stickers and donate any proceeds to Planned Parenthood. I'm also tempted to print a thousand of them and wallpaper the hell out of the conservative congresscritters I can get ahold of - and keep in mind, Bachmann is regrettably in my state.

Why am I angry? Because I'm one of the women who've used Planned Parenthood's services. They've provided me with affordable gyn exams when I had no insurance, on a sliding scale that meant I could pay for it so I didn't have to put it off. It meant that when I found a lump in my breast that hadn't been there two days before, I went in to get it checked out right away. They had me scheduled for an exam, lumpectomy, and possible mastectomy at a nearby hospital /that day/ - and thankfully, it turned out to be a goddamn cyst and not the hideously malignant breast cancer it could have been. They provided me with affordable birth control from age 18-32. When I was 19 and pregnant and terrified and paranoid, their counselor took time out of her day to sit on the phone with me and go over what options I had available and where I could turn for financial help with prenatal and post-natal care outside what they offered. I will never forget that woman. Her most lasting comment was, "Honey, it sounds like you want the baby but not the boyfriend." She was right. After I miscarried, they provided the pelvic to make sure I was ok and offered resources for grief counseling. When I had brain explody and needed to know what my options were for birth control, I called them because my neuro's office said "you can't use ANY birth control" - Planned Parenthood had better, and more accurate information.

When I had a job and good insurance, I still went to them for my gyn care, because when I go to Planned Parenthood, I am dealing with an organization of doctors and nurses who give a shit about me and my health. They have proven it over and over again by the kind of care I get when I go there. I donated every time I went in, because it helps pay for the next woman who can't - and hell, that's been me more than once in my life. It's me right now.

I've said before - I honestly do not know what I would have done when I was 19, if I hadn't had any options. I already felt terrified and trapped and had no clue what to do. Admittedly, I called for information about abortions, but what I received was information on how to make an informed choice and what resources were available to me if I chose to keep the baby. Yes, I received information about abortion as well, but that woman on the phone spent a long time talking to me - just talking to me - to get a better idea how to help me.

I am no longer that scared teenager, but I still use their services and I support them wherever I can so that they will continue to be around for the next scared, lonely, confused teenager who has nowhere else to turn.

Politicians take note: I'm a woman who uses Planned Parenthood. I keep track of who votes to defund them, and that vote will influence mine in coming elections.

---

[edit:] Yes, I Zazzled them.
Buttons and Stickers and Poster. They are priced so they earn exactly $1 per purchase. If they're purchased, the money will be donated. You can bet your ass it won't be to the Komen for the Cure asshats. :P

[edit 2:] Updated all Zazzle products with a better res image, courtesy of Texty. Whee!