Scarlett Johansson Knows Planned Parenthood Prevents Breast Cancer (VIDEOS)

on April 8, 2011 at 1:46 PM

scarlett johansson planned parenthood For some crazy reason, Planned Parenthood is at the crux of a looming government shutdown. Playing their usual dirty games, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives aims to hold the government hostage in an attempt to pass through a budget that would defund family planning services. They say it's about abortion, but Planned Parenthood doesn't allocate any federal dollars to abortion services; instead, the funds are funnelled to breast cancer screenings, cervical cancer screenings, screenings and treatment for STDs (including HIV), general reproductive health and birth control.

Usually I can't stand when celebrities mouth off about politics, because I figure they should just stick to entertaining us. But given what is currently happening in Washington today, I feel very grateful to hear from actresses like Scarlett Johansson and Gwyneth Paltrow who are speaking out on behalf of millions of American women by standing up for Planned Parenthood.

As Scarlett explains in her PSA, many women, especially those with low incomes, depend on Planned Parenthood as their only resource for health care, including lifesaving preventative care. Without it, they may miss out on a cancer-detecting mammogram or treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

Plain and simple, some people in Washington need to get their priorities straight. How about cutting funding for two wars we should have never gotten into in the first place? Maybe hacking into all those tax breaks for the bankers, oil companies or top 2 percent of Americans? The solution to our budget crisis is not to throw women's health under the bus. Rachel Bilson, Gabrielle Union, Julianne Moore, Dana Delany, Amber Tamblyn, David Eigenberg, Alan Cummings, Jason Alexander, Kathleen Turner are among those who agree. But you don't have to be famous to know what's right.

Here are the important messages from Scarlett Johansson and Gwyneth Paltrow ...

Are you standing up for Planned Parenthood?

Image via YouTube

About the author Maressa Brown

has enjoyed reporting and writing for a variety of entertainment and women's magazines and websites. More often than not, you'll find her blogging, reading, researching something on her iPhone, laughing, chatting at an above-"normal" volume, or getting her caffeine fix.

Filed Under: birth control, celebrities, cancer, breasts, sex life, menstruation, fertility

Comments (39)

billsfan1104

on Apr 8, 2011 at 1:51 PM

NOPE. I will not stand for and up for PP. They do not need federal fund to survive. They get donations and they have services that have a price attached to it.

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KelliansMom

on Apr 8, 2011 at 2:03 PM

I am standing up for PP.

hoticedcoffee

on Apr 8, 2011 at 2:06 PM

No, I'm not standing up for Planned Parenthood. I'm standing up for smaller government and fiscal responsibility. I'm standing up for the roughly 300 million Americans who DON'T need to go to Planned Parenthood for screenings. Planned Parenthood isn't the only place these screenings are available - non-abortion services make up only about 10% of their overall service. So, sorry, I understand that there is a small percentage of women who may be displaced if PP isn't funded - but I can't support allowing that small sliver of society controlling an entire nation's budget crisis.

butterflymkm

on Apr 8, 2011 at 2:32 PM

Hoticed that's wrong. ABORTIONs only take up about 10% of their services, nit the other way around.

Nonmember comment from Mary D

on Apr 8, 2011 at 2:41 PM

Since I read Abby Johnson's book "Unplanned" (http://www.unplannedthebook.com) I will no longer stand up for PP. America needs to know the truth about PP's mission, Margaret Sanger's eugenics, etc. Google 'margaret sanger eugenics' to learn more.

Facebook comment from Katie Leo

on Apr 8, 2011 at 2:54 PM

I fully stand with planned parenthood. I had a friend who two years ago became pregnant. If it weren't for planned parenthood she and her baby wouldn't have gotten the care that they needed! We American's have a bad case of the "ME ME ME's," if it doesn't have to do with you, then why have it? We really have become a selfish nation and it makes me sick. What's next to go? Are we going to get rid of the public school system because we don't want to pay for it from our tax dollars? IF WE DON'T HELP OUR OWN PEOPLE IN OUR OWN COUNTRY, WHO WILL? About 4.7 million Americans get health care from clinics funded by Title X money, according to the Guttmacher Institute. Not only that but, Planned Parenthood estimates that one in five women have received health care from one of its 800 clinics at some point in their lives.

Tell me, if we're so gung
ho for ending abortions, where are these women supposed to go when they're stuck with the
baby? Listen I'm not exactly pro-abortion, but I am pro-choice. I don't let me personal
views STOP other people from trying to live their life. Government services such as PP are so important. Do we want to also get rid of
their regulations as well? If so, who will be in charge of making sure all the buildings
are safe, or that workers are being treated properly? No one. We'll donate to Japan and
other countries which are having problems (which I'm completely not against) but we won't
even help the people in our own country. Believe it or not we do have a caste system. It's
not as easy to see, but those at the bottom need organizations such as PP to survive.

on Apr 8, 2011 at 2:57 PM

Whoops. I was wrong. Abortion only takes up about 3%(!) of what planned parenthood does. Here's a link.

http://www.pdfdownload.org/pdf2html/pdf2html.php?url=http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/PPFA/fact_ppservices_2010-09-03.pdf&images=yes

Nonmember comment from Lane

on Apr 8, 2011 at 3:07 PM

What's with the political, spin? "Playing their usual dirty games, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives aims to hold the government hostage in an attempt to pass through a budget that would defund family planning services. " I don't think this story needs to be reported with loaded words such as "dirty" and "hostage." Facts speak for themselves. I am disappointed, Cafemom.

littleflower101

on Apr 8, 2011 at 3:16 PM

Can't do it. No matter how badly a woman needs health care, I would do everything in my power to find some other option for her. I cannot support Planned Parenthood. There are plenty of organizations out there helping woman find a way to take care of their babies and if our government wants to support womens health, there are plenty of other ways they can do it without helping to fund something that so many Americans find immoral and disgusting.