Planned Parenthood is playing a key role in resisting the forces of hatred and prejudice taking hold in today’s America. The organization wants to send a (loud) message that they defy hate and discrimination in all its forms. That’s why they launched the #IDEFY campaign to amplify the voices of young people across the country by asking them what they defy — slut-shaming, abortion stigma, racism, shitty sex ed, xenophobia, transphobia and other forces that obstruct justice and block individual opportunity.
This campaign is coming at a critical time, as Planned Parenthood is in the middle of a defunding fight that would have a huge impact on young people — people under 30 make up 70 percent of Planned Parenthood's patient base. And we don’t have to tell you that young people of color will be especially impacted as we already face barriers to health care. 360,000 people who identify as African American or black rely on Planned Parenthood for health care every year, and young adults have the highest rate of uninsured of any age group at about 30 percent.
Photo: Courtesy of Planned Parenthood
The U.S. Census Bureau found that there are approximately 4.2 million uninsured African Americans in the U.S., and specifically African-American women are more likely to be uninsured (roughly 14 percent) or underinsured compared to non-Latino white women, and nearly one in four live in poverty. These barriers too often mean that black women are forced to delay care.
The bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act that the Senate will likely vote on soon includes a provision that would block patients on Medicaid from accessing care at Planned Parenthood. Among those Americans under 65 years old who access Medicaid, 19 percent are black.
Photo: Courtesy of Planned Parenthood
And because of how many people this would affect, other existing health care centers simply would not be able to absorb the 2.5 million patients who rely on Planned Parenthood. If they were prevented from accessing care at Planned Parenthood because of “defunding” legislation, many patients would have no other place to go for the services Planned Parenthood provides. And just because you’re young doesn’t mean that health insurance isn’t necessary. Contrary to popular belief, one in six young adults has a chronic illness including cancer, diabetes, asthma or more.
Planned Parenthood believes that EVERYONE deserves access to quality, affordable healthcare no matter who you are, where you live or how much money you make. For 100 years, they’ve been unapologetically defying the odds to serve millions of people across the country and around the world. They recently took their message of defiance to The Roots Picnic in Philly where celebrity host Amanda Seales tested the knowledge of festival performers and attendees. Check it out below.
#IDEFY is more than a hashtag, it’s the start of a movement to mobilize young people to fight alongside Planned Parenthood for the future they want to see. We’re living during a volatile time when we’re seeing the social and political progress that has been made being threatened. But we refuse to go back. So, as the Senate moves to vote on a bill that will determine what kind of healthcare YOU can receive, it's important to get loud, stay loud, and defend what you love. Join Planned Parenthood’s #IDEFY campaign here.
Photo: Courtesy of Planned Parenthood
This post is brought to you in collaboration with Planned Parenthood.
