The nation’s largest abortion provider regularly claims that it provides “life-saving” services while highlighting “pro-life” abortionists. But as it continues toying with double entendres, Planned Parenthood’s language appears less as a mere coincidence and more as a blatant mockery of the pro-life movement.
The latest example came on June 15, when Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the abortion giant’s political arm, announced its endorsement of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden as he challenges President Trump in the upcoming election. According to Planned Parenthood’s acting president, the November election will be a matter of “life and death.”
Speaking with NPR, Alexis McGill Johnson used the phrase despite the pro-life stance that every abortion spells death – by intentionally destroying an innocent life.
"This is literally a life and death election," McGill Johnson insisted. "We felt like we can't endure another four years of Trump; we have to do everything we can to get him out of office."
In a video publicizing the endorsement, McGill Johnson added that Americans rely on her organization “to build their lives and pursue their dreams.” Never mind that Planned Parenthood crushes the lives of hundreds of thousands of unborn babies in abortion each year.
According to its 2018—2019 annual report, Planned Parenthood provided 345,672 abortions in just one year while also receiving $616.8 million in taxpayer funding, or “Government Health Services Reimbursements & Grants.”
But McGill Johnson’s wording isn’t new for Planned Parenthood. Before the 2016 presidential election, Cecile Richards, then president of Planned Parenthood, recommended that Americans “vote like your life depends on it!”
At the same time, Planned Parenthood asks Americans to refrain from using “pro-life” terminology. The organization recommends that Americans call abortion supporters “Pro-Reproductive Rights” instead of “Pro-Choice” and describe those who challenge abortion as “Anti-Abortion” instead of “Pro-Life.”
“Generally, people who identify as pro-choice believe that everyone has the basic human right to decide when and whether to have children,” a representative named Miriam summarized to teens in October. “People who oppose abortion often call themselves pro-life,” even though the “only life many of them are concerned with is the life of the fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus.”
Still, she added, “‘Pro-choice’ and ‘pro-life’ labels don’t reflect the complexity of how most people actually think and feel about abortion.”
But Miriam got it wrong: The pro-life movement cares for mother and unborn baby alike – each as a human person with inherent dignity and worth. And, well, even her own organization doesn’t shy away from “pro-life” – even if to mock.
“Not sure how a president” who “Wants to impose a gag rule & attack our health care,” among other things, “is ‘pro-life,’” Planned Parenthood Action tweeted in 2018.
A year earlier, they cited a “pro-life abortion provider,” and a quoted midwife as saying “We should be celebrating safe and legal abortion for what it is: Pro-life!"
In the past year alone, Planned Parenthood Action has used the phrase “life-saving” in tweets referring to its services, the Affordable Care Act, the Mexico City Policy or “global gag rule,” and Title X.
“Abortion access. Birth control. HIV testing. Lifesaving care,” Planned Parenthood Action tweeted in 2019. “It’s all on the line -- and it’s up to us to defend our rights.”
Planned Parenthood’s irony continues when it takes advantage of parental holidays that celebrate life to suggest choice and the option of abortion.
“Happy Mother's Day!” Planned Parenthood Action tweeted on May 12. “It’s important now more than ever to protect our right to make decisions about our own bodies and our own lives — and that includes being able to decide if and when to become a mother.”
While promoting various issues and campaigns, Planned Parenthood takes the opportunity to highlight children, families and even the unborn.
In April, Chantal Bonitto, the inclusive philanthropy director at Planned Parenthood and Planned Parenthood Action, wrote that “To all who are expecting a child — especially Black women and other women of color — I wish you strength and resilience during these trying times.”
In 2015, Planned Parenthood caused a stir when it cited Hillary Clinton and tweeted that “Every child deserves the opportunity to live up to their God given potential” with the hashtag “blacklivesmatter.”
And last summer, for "#ImmigrantHeritageMonth,” Planned Parenthood tweeted that “The ability to live an empowered life — without fear of deportation or detention due to one’s immigration status — is an integral part of what it means to have a happy and complete life."
Planned Parenthood is right that every life is precious, regardless of skin color or immigration status. But, they forget to add, each life should also be cherished regardless of whether he or she is born or unborn. Language is a powerful persuader, but it can’t change the truth.