Bernie Dissing Planned Parenthood Is Pissing Me Off

[CN: failure of contracaeption, restrictions of choice]

I've been thinking about why Bernie Sanders’ dismissal of Planned Parenthood as an “establishment” organization (after they gave their endorsement to Clinton) is bothering me.

Because, really, who cares? Especially Bernie, if this is so establishment, and he is so not-establishment.

Here’s why: it’s personal.

Like a lot of people, especially women, I found that when "the establishment" was against me, Planned Parenthood was there.

Some people reading this may or may not remember that emergency contraception, popularly known as “Plan B, ” has not always been available over the counter in the United States. In fact, the GOP worked mighty hard to make sure we Slutty McSluttersons could not access this medication, which helps prevent fertilization in case of contraception fail.

And here's the thing about Plan B: it works better the sooner one takes it. 72 hours is the maximum stretch time, but the closer one takes it to the time of the sex act, the better.

So yeah, back in the bad old days, in [Midwestern State], on a weekend, in [Small Town], I had a major contraception fail. And getting Plan B would have been really tough under laws requiring doctor consult and prescription. 72 hours on a weekend night? Maybe. Good luck.

But Planned Parenthood, via internet, was there. I was able to do a distance consult via phone, and got a prescription to take to the pharmacy well within the 24 hour mark, which is really optimal for avoiding pregnancy.

Why do I write about this? Because this is what Planned Parenthood does: it finds a way. It used distance prescribing as a work around the stupid GOP-driven law.

And today, it finds a way to work around stupid GOP-driven attacks, as much as it possibly can. (And all the while defending from very real physical attacks on its buildings, its staff, and its clients.)

Frankly, that feels pretty damn anti-establishment to me. It’s not that I don’t understand the importance of calling out big banks and the like. I do. It’s just that that attacking Wall Street rings pretty fucking hollow when you're simultaneously dissing an institutions that protects us from the assaults coming straight out of Main Street.

For Bernie Sanders to dismiss Planned Parenthood as “establishment” is a dismissal of my lived experiences. And I doubt I am alone.

So goodbye, Bernie. Speaking for myself only, the last reserves of good will I had for you have run out. And good luck. You’ll need it if you plan to win a revolution while turning up your nose at the revolutionaries who are already fighting.