I've noticed something lately, when discussing Planned Parenthood with people who profess to be "pro-life". It's quite telling when, if you mention Planned Parenthood saving women from cancer to a "right to life" supporter, they ask about mammograms, not pap smears.

That's because now that we know the human papilloma virus causes cervical cancer, what used to be considered a legitimate health threat is now seen as punishment for "loose" women -- just as HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases are stigmatized. Once this connection was discovered (around the same time as Planned Parenthood v. Casey) Planned Parenthood not only had shown yet again they would continue to fight for abortion rights, but also no longer provided any services that the sanctimonious among them presumed anyone "righteous" actually needed.

It's no wonder they aren't impressed that 97% of services provided by Planned Parenthood aren't abortion-related. All the services are things they perceive as unnecessary for women who behave according to their cookie-cutter definition of "sexual purity".

The battle for reproductive rights has always been a fight against those who think biology should dictate the role of women in society -- a belief often perpetuated by people with a shocking level of ignorance of said biology. The fact many pro-lifers support abortion after "legitimate rape" is a clear demonstration of just how many know the government invasion of the womb isn't about saving unborn children, but about enforcing quite different moral standards indeed. (If you oppose both abortion and the death penalty, congratulations on avoiding another common demonstration of hypocrisy.)

Therefore, I propose that we stop attempting to engage in apologetics for Planned Parenthood that involve mentioning how few of their services are abortion-related. They know, and they don't care. The stories of lives saved by Planned Parenthood don't move them. They probably don't even care that even "righteous" men, having no biological impetus to be conservative about spreading their seed, may continue to engage in behavior that puts the "good girls" they're married to at risk.

Instead, let's start calling them on their real motives -- to keep their own women subservient, and enforce that morality on the rest of society. Planned Parenthood is a symbol of female independence, started by a woman fighting the evils forced childbearing causes, and to them that is very frightening indeed.

The North Jersey People for Progress created this graphic, which quite nicely summarizes the basic point. They were kind enough to grant permission for any who wish to share out the meme.

"The fight against Planned Parenthood is NOT about abortion, but against women's sexual choices and mores."

And another graphic, courtesy of Red State Dems :