Trigger warning for brief mention of abuse.
I like how Planned Parenthood doesn’t assume a lot of things the broader culture does. They don’t assume you’re straight. They don’t assume your gender is the binary one you were assigned at birth. They don’t assume you’re in a safe relationship, they ask — and if you indicate that you might not have been previously, they make sure you’re not afraid of further violence.
They don’t assume that, if your parents have money, they will help you with your reproductive health/birth control — because sometimes you can’t ask, or you could ask, but it wouldn’t happen.
They don’t assume you’re a slut, even if you’re there because your junk is doing weird stuff after a wild party in which you had 5 new partners in the space of 24 hours (they will, however, look slightly relieved when you reassure them that many, many barriers were used).
They do assume that you’re a human being, complex, interesting, and worthy of respect.
Great observations! I also appreciate the nonassumptions/nonjudgmental approach at PP…it reduces some of the barriers to accessing the kind of services that can be intimidating, embarrassing, or just not the most comfortable thing to talk about with a complete stranger
Yeah — I mean, I’m pretty comfortable with talking explicitly about my sexuality and the sex I have, but the way PP has interacted with me has made it clear that I can do that without getting judged, so I don’t have to put my hackles up while I talk.
Amen to that! I’m totally upfront about my sexuality, my life choices, and my body NOW, but when I was a teenager, not so much. EVERYTHING seemed weird and embarrassing and unknown…it was nice to have someone assure me that it was perfectly ok and very normal and listen instead of lecture
It would be nice if more people and places were so pragmatic about sex, wouldn’t it?
Absolutely! The second paragraph’s point is very important to me- I have insurance under my parents, but that doesn’t mean I’m prepared to ask them about birth control. It’s so fantastic that Planned Parenthood gives me access to what will make me safe with no judgment. And of course, I imagine PP would be an even more vital resource for someone in my situation who wasn’t straight, or in an unsafe relationship, etc.