On June 1st, The International Planned Parenthood Federation / WHR uploaded a photo on Instagram that said in bold letters “RACISM IS A REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ISSUE” and carried the caption, “Systemic racism and police brutality cannot be ignored. We need action now. We stand in solidarity with Black people across America and the world. #blacklivesmatter.”

 

 

This statement, posted during a peak within the Black Lives Matter Movement, is true. Racism is a notable factor that goes into reproductive health in today’s society. However, while Planned Parenthood aims their post to show support and solidarity towards Black people, they prove themselves to be completely hypocritical.

We of course must grieve the unjust and tragic death of George Floyd, alongside Floyd’s family and all Black Americans suffering from racial discrimination and police brutality. But we cannot allow our national movement against racial injustice to be exploited by an organization that inherently promotes inequality.

Here are 3 reasons why Planned Parenthood is not authentically against racism:

1. Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, was fundamentally racist.

Margaret Sanger was openly racist. Not only did Sanger speak at a meeting of the Ku Klux Klan, but she supervised a program entitled “The Negro Project.” This project was noted in a letter to Dr. C.J. Gamble in 1939 and Sanger wrote, “We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population…” Sanger’s motives were blatantly fascist as her goal was to practice eugenics and to create what she felt was a more perfect race.Sanger’s sentiment towards African Americans and her clear desire to eliminate racial factors that she did not like are despicable. Yet, Planned Parenthood celebrates her as their founder and grants a yearly Margaret Sanger Award. Planned Parenthood posts on social media to show their support of Black lives, yet they celebrate their fascist founder. These actions are hypocritical and show a lack of authenticity as they claim to be a part of the #blacklivesmatter movement.

2. Planned Parenthood targets minority communities – especially Black communities.

Planned Parenthoods are primarily placed in locations that are heavily populated by minority groups. According to the 2010 US Census results, 79 percent of the Planned Parenthood surgical abortion facilities are placed within walking distance of communities largely comprised of minority groups. By strategically placing these abortion facilities in select neighborhoods, various cities, such as New York City, experience more African American babies being aborted than being born. This results in a major depletion of the Black population and does not support Black lives.

3. Planned Parenthood is the leading cause of death within Black communities. 

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, there have been over 15.5 million abortions performed on African Americans. These 15.5 million Black lives lost to abortion outnumber the deaths of Black people due to AIDS, violent crimes, accidents, cancer, and heart disease combined. According to BlackGenocide.org, if abortion had not been legalized, the African American population would have experienced an increase of 36 percent. Abortion, primarily committed by Planned Parenthood, is a major limiter on Black population growth.

 

Amidst the heightened tensions due to the unjust death of George Floyd, The International Planned Parenthood Federation WHR attempted to show their followers that they care about Black lives. However, Planned Parenthood shows that one of the biggest issues within racism and reproductive health care is, in fact, themselves. By continuing to celebrate their racist founder, strategically locating their facilities in areas that primarily affect minority groups, and allowing themselves to be the leading cause of death of Black people, Planned Parenthood blatantly shows a disregard to Black lives.

Planned Parenthood’s racist actions in targeting their “reproductive health care” towards African Americans results in the depletion of the Black race and subsequently perpetuates their situation as a minority group. By degrading human dignity, racism is inherently anti-life. Highlighting racism as a reproductive health issue only aids Planned Parenthood and does not societally help Black people.

Black lives truly matter and it is inexcusable to allow any organization to disregard their humanity at any stage of life. George Floyd’s death was tragic, and he should have been treated with the respect due to him as a human with inherent dignity. Floyd’s death is a wakeup call to prompt all to support and love Black lives from the moment that their life begins to the moment of their natural deaths.