By H Thatcher//
Speakers from Planned Parenthood spoke at the Feminist Student Union’s first Uncensored Series event on Tuesday, Sept. 30, on the topic of reproductive justice and rights.
The speakers led an open discussion on access to reproductive health care, the impact of recent legal changes, and the importance of bodily autonomy and safe, healthy relationships.
The speakers, Lindsay Romer, director of Education at Planned Parenthood, and Blanka Vackova, manager of the Frederick PPM Health Center, answered students’ questions about the services provided and resources available to them as students.
The Uncensored Series is “typically just a name that we use for any sort of serious conversation,” Robin Dratta, vice president of the Feminist Student Union, said.
Following the presentation, students participated in a Q&A session, during which they shared what services Hood College offers. The college offers free condoms and free Plan B outside the Wellness Center in Apple 4, as well as at the Health Center.
“I always hope that they gain something from the conversation that they didn’t know when they were walking into the room, whether that is like a new perspective or a new fact,” club president Alix Parks said.
FSU plans on hosting more events throughout the semester. “When I’m thinking of events, I try to do one that’s historical and one that has to do with stuff going on right now just so that we have a mix of things,” Parks said.
Planned Parenthood gets a lot of attention for providing abortion care, but that is less than 10% of what they do. Romer’s presentation covered the services that Planned Parenthood offers, along with additional resources and other organizations worth checking out.
Planned Parenthood accepts almost every private insurance and offers a sliding fee scale based on income. THe services include wellness visits, STD/STI testing, birth control methods, gender affirming care, vasectomy, abortion care, and much more.
Vackova stated that Frederick’s Planned Parenthood now offers in-person gender affirming care and that most of their services are available via telehealth as well.
Additional Resources:
Planned Parenthood – Frederick Health Center
170 Thomas Johnson Drive
Frederick, MD 21702
Love is Respect (info about healthy relationships, sexual assault, and consent)
Loveisrespect.org
call: 1-866-331-9474
text: “Love Is” to 22522
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