Planned Parenthood Marks Pride Month by Celebrating the Resilience, Strength, and Activism of LGBTQ Communities
For Immediate Release: June 2, 2017
NEW YORK, NY — This June (LGBT Pride Month), Planned Parenthood proudly celebrates the resilience, strength, and activism of LGBTQ communities and reaffirms our commitment to a world where no one experiences discrimination, shame, or violence because of their gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. As we continue to fight back against those who wish to undo the progress of the last half century, we stand with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people in the struggle for full equality — many of whom turn to Planned Parenthood for health care, information and education.
“Planned Parenthood stands with LGBTQ people in the struggle for full rights, equality, and justice,” said Cecile Richards, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “At Planned Parenthood, our doors are open to everyone, regardless of gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation. This June and every month, we reject any attempt to drive this country backward into discrimination or to foment hate. Rather, we honor and fight for the health and lives of LGBTQ people — and will continue to provide them with critical access to high quality, nonjudgmental, and compassionate health care and education, no matter what.”
Despite the progress made since the Stonewall Riots in 1969, we continue to see truly appalling bills and rhetoric targeting LGBTQ communities, especially transgender and gender nonconforming people — along with repeated attempts at all levels of government to undo the nearly half-century of progress by LGBTQ activists in the fight for civil rights, justice, and equality.
The Trump administration has not officially recognized this June as Pride Month, breaking an eight-year tradition. In February, the administration announced a rollback of Title IX guidance that prohibits schools from discriminating against transgender students.
Additionally, the Trump Administration and GOP leadership are attempting to repeal the Affordable Care Act and “defund” Planned Parenthood by blocking patients who rely on Medicaid or other federal programs from accessing basic preventive health care like cancer screenings and STI testing at Planned Parenthood health centers. Members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer communities experience greater obstacles to accessing health care services than non-LGBTQ people, and these actions would cause many in the LGBTQ community to lose access to care — including those who are low income, living with chronic illness, or have pre-existing conditions, like HIV.
“As health care providers, educators, and advocates, Planned Parenthood is committed to serving all people in our communities with care and respect,” said Richards. “We know that a Planned Parenthood health center may be one of the few health care spaces where the identities of LGBTQ people are acknowledged, respected, and understood.”
The identities of LGBTQ people cross intersections of race, religion, class, ethnicity, and immigration status. Now more than ever, LGBTQ groups, immigrant rights organizations, racial justice organizations, environmental rights activists and others are speaking out and standing together to fight back against discriminatory attacks and move our country forward.
“Planned Parenthood believes that LGBTQ rights and reproductive rights are deeply connected, and we will not be silent when either one is under attack,” said Richards. “At Planned Parenthood, we realize that our patients and supporters don't comprise any one identity, and we're grateful for the many volunteers, staff, and supporters of all genders and identities who work every day to ensure that people in communities across the country and around the globe get the health care and information they need. We will always fight for their ability to access health care, raise their families, and live their most authentic lives.”
Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate, serving 2.4 million patients annually through its health care service providers, and 1.5 million more through educational programs and outreach. This June, and every month, Planned Parenthood takes pride in providing high-quality, compassionate health care and education to LGBTQ people in communities across the country. At Planned Parenthood, our doors are open to everyone who needs access to health care in a safe and welcoming place.
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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood affiliates serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.