So. Tis the season for gathering ’round the holiday table with your loved ones, or your liked ones, or your in-laws you have no choice but to tolerate once a year, or your college bestie and her “UGH, what is she even thinking?!” significant other.

And you know one of the most important questions people will ask — besides “Where’s the wine?” and “Are two dozen pies really enough?” — is: “What will happen to Planned Parenthood?”

So here’s how you can be the holiday hero by dropping some real talk knowledge at the table:

Planned Parenthood has been here for 100 years. It’s not going anywhere.

Planned Parenthood will never back down and never stop fighting to ensure that patients have access to the care they need, no matter their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, income, country of origin, or zip code. Planned Parenthood’s doors stay open, no matter what.

Yes, Donald Trump and Mike Pence threatened to “defund” Planned Parenthood. No, that doesn’t mean it’s a done deal.

The fact is that the majority of Americans support Planned Parenthood and don’t want to see it defunded. Trump and Pence know that millions of patients rely on Planned Parenthood every year for essential health care, like STD testing and treatment, birth control, cancer screening, well-woman exams, and, in some locations, hormone replacement therapy.

Opposing Planned Parenthood is an unpopular position with American voters of all parties. Just ask soon-to-be-former Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire.

Planned Parenthood supporters have power.

Since the election, there’s been an outpouring of support for Planned Parenthood that is so big it reflects the unending power of the reproductive rights movement. Case in point: Over 182,000 people have donated to Planned Parenthood since Nov. 8 (including 46,000 donations in Mike Pence's name). Anyone can join the fight.

If you want to make sure Planned Parenthood’s doors stay open — no matter what — there are lots of ways you can help. Donate to Planned Parenthood Donate to support Planned Parenthood health centers: Planned Parenthood health centers are open, and they are continuing to deliver vital reproductive health care — like birth control, cancer screenings, and STI testing and treatment.

Donate to Planned Parenthood Action Fund Donate to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund to help fight political attacks and strengthen advocacy for reproductive health and rights — like access to sex education; safe, legal abortion; and health care at Planned Parenthood health centers.

Volunteer with Planned Parenthood Volunteer with Planned Parenthood. Go to PlannedParenthood.org to sign up or call your local health center.

Volunteer with Planned Parenthood Action Fund Volunteer with the Action Fund. If you’re interested in political activism, go to PPaction.org/volunteer to get involved with the Planned Parenthood Action Fund.

Join Planned Parenthood Generation Action Join Planned Parenthood Generation Action if you’re in college and become a leader in the movement. Do we have a hard and uncertain road ahead? Yes, yes we do. But that’s why it’s important to remember that Planned Parenthood has been providing care for a century, and it’s not going to stop any time soon.



And you — and your loved ones, your liked ones, your in-laws, and your college bestie — can all step up and help out to ensure that Planned Parenthood continues to provide care for another 100 years.

Tags: Planned Parenthood, Election 2016, Thanksgiving, Christmas