Life
15 Small Ways You Can Support Planned Parenthood
President Trump made waves Monday after the New York Times reported that he made an "offer" to Planned Parenthood: stop providing abortions, and he'll support federal funding for the organization. In a bold, brave, and entirely necessary move, Planned Parenthood rejected Trump's offer (with what I imagine was a snappy 'no thx'). In light of this, it's now more crucial than ever that we all look for ways to support Planned Parenthood, so women can continue receiving affordable, convenient healthcare.
Trump's offer to Planned Parenthood was offensive for a lot of reasons, the most frustrating of which, of course, is that the organization doesn't even use federal funding for abortions in the first place. Even so, women's healthcare isn't something that should be 'compromised' on — and it's particularly insulting for the President to wield his power in such a manipulative, scary way. All women should have the power to make whatever decisions are best for their health, and they shouldn't have to fear that tomorrow their access to affordable healthcare might disappear. With International Women's Day coming up on March 8, 2017, now is the perfect time to support Planned Parenthood in their mission to keep all women happy and healthy.
Here are 15 small ways you can show your support for Planned Parenthood — and by extension, women everywhere — in these turbulent times. (Psst: there are plenty of other great causes that could use your support on International Women's Day, too.)
1Donate Directly To PP
The most obvious way to support Planned Parenthood? Donate to them directly! Even if you can't give a lot (gotta pay bills, right?), every little bit helps.
2Volunteer At Your Local Branch
If you're the kind of person who likes to take direct action, consider stopping by your local Planned Parenthood and offering up your time as a volunteer. You can even check out what kind of volunteer openings they have online before you go, so you can figure out how you can best be of service.
3Tweet @ Tinder
In honor of International Women's Day, Tinder launched the #FundHerCause campaign as a way for women to have their voices heard and make a direct impact on feminist issues they care about. All you have to do is tweet @Tinder using the #FundHerCause hashtag and mention Planned Parenthood (or another cause of your choosing), and you'll unlock a code to donate $100!
4Be A "Defender" For PP
If you want to do more than casual volunteering, you can sign up to be a Planned Parenthood Defender. Their site describes Defenders as a "core group of supporters" who do everything from calling Congressmen to attending rallies. If you can commit more time to the cause, this is definitely a worthwhile way to show your support.
5Gift Yourself A 'Nasty' Bracelet
This adorable bracelet by Stella and Bow might cost $38, but 100 percent of the proceeds go to Planned Parenthood. This is one seriously good excuse to treat yourself, IMHO.
6Buy A Fun New Sex Toy
Wait, you can buy yourself a sex toy and support a great cause at the same damn time? Thanks to Vibrant — a new social enterprise shopping and education site for adult pleasure — you can purchase a body-safe, sex-positive toy and also feel great about the fact that 100 percent of proceeds go to Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.
Eva by Dame, $120, Vibrant
7Get A ~Dual Purpose~ Necklace
If you can't decide between treating yourself to some flashy new jewelry or a pleasure-inducing toy, compromise and get both with this sleek, fully functional bullet vibe necklace. When you purchase it through Vibrant, all the proceeds go to Planned Parenthood, and you get a fun new accessory that totally changes the meaning of 'statement jewelry'.
8Buy This 'Pro-Choice' Tee
Marc Jacobs and Miley Cyrus collaborated on this awesome pro-choice T-shirt, so you can show off your feminist pride in style. It's $50, but 100 percent of net proceeds will go to Planned Parenthood.
9Feed Your Caffeine Addiction
As if you needed another excuse to buy a cute new coffee mug. The Outrage is full of tons of cute, feminist-friendly products, and if you buy from their Nasty Women Unite collection, 15 percent of proceeds go to Planned Parenthood. Bonus: they'll make the donation in Trump's name — ha!
10Snag A New Tote Bag
This super snarky tote is the perfect accessory to show your support for Planned Parenthood wherever you go. It's only $15, and 100 percent of proceeds go to PP — they've already donated over $70,000 so far!
Stand With Planned Parenthood Tote Bag, $15, Power and Light Press
11Get Organized With A New Planner
This super cute, super handy 2017 planner by Google Ghost Press is the perfect accessory for your desk. It's only $28, and 50 percent of the proceeds go to Planned Parenthood.
12Grab A Drink With Your Ladies
If you're located in NYC, stop by Butter and Scotch in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and grab a feminist-inspired cocktail (like the 'Smash the Patriarchy') with your friends. All winter long, they'll be donating one dollar of each drink sold to Planned Parenthood!
13Play 'Sperm Invaders'
Yes, you read that right. Sperm Invaders is a Space Invaders parody in which a little floating penis shoots its sperm at your eggs, and it's your job to defend yourself. It's hilarious, addictive, and best of all, the site prompts you to donate to Planned Parenthood (either directly or through buying their merchandise) after the game is over.
14Add Some Awesome Art To Your Walls
If you're in the mood to do a little redecorating, Brooklyn-based artist Shawna X is donating all the proceeds from her "Stay Together" collection to Planned Parenthood as a thank you to the organization. The pieces are beautiful, moving, and for a good cause — it's a win-win-win.
15Schedule An Appointment At Planned Parenthood
What better way to show your support for Planned Parenthood than by using their services directly? Next time you need healthcare, schedule an appointment at your local Planned Parenthood if you can!
Ultimately, it's not important how you choose to show your support for Planned Parenthood. All that matters is that you do so proudly, and refuse to back down when something as important as women's health is on the line.
