Susan G. Komen, Politics, Planned Parenthood, My Body, and My Pennies

I don't have a lot to give to charity these days. A cross-country move, plus a year of unexpected medical costs have left the well near-dry. But when I do give, as I did last year, I usually give to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. A seemingly noble cause, and, until quite recently, a group that seemed to keep itself apart from the rising tide of anti-woman politics. A good thing--last thing we need is a breast cancer charity that kicks women in the teeth and fails to defend their rights and stand up for their physical integrity.

Ooops.

I can't even describe my horror at SGK's recent turn against Planned Parenthood. No organization in the world stands up for women like Planned Parenthood. No other organization can compare when it comes to providing for women and empowering them. Planned Parenthood is the single most important and effective barrier between ME and those who would take away my right to determine my own reproductive fate. We take birth control for granted these days, but just a couple generations back, a woman had no say. A woman was trapped, wasn't able to determine her own family size. Not even if her life depended on it.

Don't think it can't happen again--there are presidential candidates RIGHT NOW talking about doing away with birth control. The past few years have taught me that NO right is a "given," NO right, no matter how obvious, how "self-evident," is safe. If we don't guard them, someone will take them away.

See, the one-eyed, freakishly narrow right will squeal and cry that this is about "murdering babies!" No it's not--it's about not enslaving women. If you're a woman and you think it's about "helpless babies," you've been utterly fooled. Planned Parenthood makes for FEWER abortions because they provide free and low-cost BIRTH CONTROL and SEX EDUCATION; two things PROVEN to prevent unplanned pregnancies. Reduce unplanned pregnancies and you LOWER the call for abortions. You stupid, stupid people, you're attacking the one organization that does more than any other to prevent abortion. And if you're a woman, you're making war against your own because you've had the right-wing wool pulled over your sheeply eyes.

Susan G. Komen's foundation can whine that they didn't really pull funding, that it's about rules and regulations, but that's a crock of frothy feces and we all know it. It's ass-covering and double-speak that even their own people don't believe. Their own administrators are jumping ship, resigning over the politically motivated defunding of Planned Parenthood.

Come on, kids--what happens when you place a famously anti-choice, anti-Planned Parenthood figure in a position of authority at SGK? Well, THIS happens. Duh.

Like I said, I don't have a lot to give, but this year my spare change goes straight to Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood, who saw me for free back in my poverty-stricken college days and found those changes in my cervix before they could threaten my life or my ability to have children. Yeah, that's right--I have a child because Planned Parenthood came through for me. Chew on that.

Thank you to everyone who came through for Planned Parenthood after Susan G. Komen for the Cure threw them (and us) under the bus. And to those at SGK responsible for this?

Shame. Oh, shame on you.

Free Association

This and that, this and that. My heart's being a punk, what else is new? Rode the recumbent for 40 minutes anyway. Even though doing so scares the daylights out of me, I don't think it makes much of a difference. If I die, I'll die naked, sprawled out on the floor next to my fancy-assed murder machine. Jim Fixx indeed.

I feel so wrong lately. Edgy, nervous, sad. I buy myself one new outfit in three years, and I feel guilty for it. No, don't look around me for the answer. It's not there. It's inside me. In that thwacking, idiot heart of mine. The words "I don't deserve it" actually passed my lips. What the hell is that all about?

I want. I want a tablet-geegaw. You know, something to fiddle with while I ride the recumbent that may slay me. I use my cell phone, but the display is small and my eyes are worsening. Makes for a whopper headache. Now all I have to do is figure out how to justify a 300 dollar toy when I can't find it in me to feel I deserve new clothes. Dunno.

Planned Parenthood wants to feature me in some advertising thing. Not going to be easy, considering I'm a photo-phobe with one decent outfit that hasn't arrived yet and may not fit. Blah. Seems there's pressure from all sides, doesn't it? Shut up, PP, stop stressing me. I gave you a photo, I gave you my words, you can't have any more of me. I know, that makes me a selfish pile of something, but you know, I can't. That's all. I can barely make my way to a dinner party without collapsing from sheer nervousness. Don't ask me to go on national television. Not happening.

Thinking maybe working out when the heart's messing up does make a difference. Hate this, so sick of it. Seems to get a little worse every month, a little more intense, a little longer lasting, a little less time between bouts. Not good.

I wonder how much the current political climate has to do with my heart being such a disaster? I'm stressed and angry all the time. So tired of rude, stupid people who don't care about other human beings. Who think poor people deserve it, that women should be chaste until marriage, and then stay home playing baby-making machine. People who glorify oppressive, occupying governments and vilify entire races based on the desperate actions of a few. People who think that the answer to all our problems is smacking immigrants and cutting funding to aid programs.

Oh, and the environmental causes. Let's not forget to slash the programs meant to keep our air and water safe and clean.

I'll proof-read this later. I don't feel like it right now. I need out of this state, out of this mindset, and maybe, just maybe, out of this world. No, not like that.