Katy Perry’s Reasoning for Donating 10K to Planned Parenthood Will Give You All the Feels
With President-Elect Donald Trump and VP Mike Pence set to take office in the imminent future, some folks are more than a little apprehensive about how our newly elected officials, both staunch pro-life advocates, might affect women’s issues.
They wonder, “What will happen to organizations like Planned Parenthood if they are defunded?” Though President Obama has proposed a rule change to Title X that would forbid states from withholding funding to such groups for any reason other than a failure to provide adequate services, the change is still being reviewed and has not yet gone into effect, leaving these types of organizations exposed and vulnerable.
One celeb, in particular, is doing everything in her power to prevent that, at least as far as donations are concerned — and no, it’s not Taylor Swift (who’s been known to make large monetary gifts to a worthy cause in her day), or even Lorde, who recently gave an unknown family $10K.
Instead, Katy Perry, the daughter of an evangelical preacher, is standing up to gift PP with her own $10,000, and it’s not for the reasons you might think. Though she was a notoriously vocal Hillary Clinton supporter over the course of the election, even dressing up as the former Secretary of State for Halloween, more than that, it turns out Katy’s just like the rest of us, and has relied on female reproductive services in her day too.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry) on
Taking to Instagram to explain her decision, Katy writes the following: “It’s time to turn words into action. There are so many steps to take, but my first vow is to support organizations that may have their funding support taken away from them in the future by the government.
I am making a public donation to Planned Parenthood for the teenage me who made several visits to first a clinic in Santa Barbara and then Los Angeles, CA to educate myself on my sexual health, a subject I had little to no information on because of my sheltered upbringing. I had no idea how things worked down there, and no idea how to make a plan for them. Planned Parenthood educated me on my body and my reproductive health, so that I could focus on my dreams and using my voice until I knew the timing was right for me to make a plan to have a family. Since then, I have been able to focus wholeheartedly on messages of strength and becoming a voice for others. Without this education, I might have had a different life path. That’s just my experience, but I know Planned Parenthood’s broader range of services can sometimes be the only medical support low-income families ever see. I know what it’s like to need help. I came from a lower-to-middle class family and never grew up having the option of health insurance. I remember having 13 cavities as a teenager, and the best option my parents could come up with was to try and take me to Mexico because we couldn’t afford anything in California. I am grateful for and stand in support of Planned Parenthood for giving Katheryn Hudson the knowledge to plan, and for continuing to be a haven for women to learn all their options for the future. Now, more than ever, we all need to protect and create safe spaces for each other. I hope I can help inspire you to make a gift as well, and become a member and an ally. Go to www.plannedparenthood.org to show your support. #wewontgoback.”
Whoa. Who would’ve guessed that a woman who has since gone on to top Forbes’ highest-paid entertainer list was once in the same position as many others are now, seeking advice and healthcare that she simply couldn’t afford (or that she spells Katheryn with an ‘e’)?
Minds. Blown. But inspired! Now THIS is an act of peaceful protest we can definitely get behind.
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(Photos via Alberto E. Rodriguez + Mark Wilson/Getty)
