Planned Parenthood Offers Some Tips on 'How to Deal with Difficult People' This Thanksgiving

Lauretta Brown | November 23, 2017 12:00 PM

Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, posted some tips earlier this week on “How to Deal with Difficult People” this Thanksgiving.

The guide tackles how to address dinner companions who “may say hurtful, offensive things about race, gender identity, sexual harassment and assault, birth control coverage, abortion, or any number of topics,” the abortion giant explains in a Tumblr post.

Planned Parenthood argues that you should “build allyship” with family members saying that the more people who “can call people out,” on “problematic behavior” the less acceptable it will be.

The post does encourage people to engage in conversation based on mutual values saying, “practice asking questions, finding a value in their sentiment you can agree on, and starting from there. This is hard work, but you only get better at it if you keep trying.”

However, it adds that “it’s totally ok to tell someone that their language or behavior is hurtful and unacceptable to you. Tell them about the impact it has on you and why, and what the consequences of their actions are to the larger community. Tell them you expect better, and what the consequences are if they don’t change (like cutting off contact with them or leaving).”

It concludes with some “great resources” to help with tough conversations including a National Network of Abortion Funds’ guide to talking to your family about abortion during the holidays which includes sentiments like “when someone else is vocally anti-abortion, what they’re telling those around them is that they’re not safe spaces to share abortion experiences or feelings. That’s heartbreaking.”