Planned Parenthood Holds Rally in West Chester

Representatives from the “Women Are Watching” bus tour, part of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, made a stop in West Chester Monday promoting a call to action for voters.

“We’re here to encourage people to vote,” said Women are Watching representative Alix Lowe-Server.  “This is a really important election.”

West Chester Mayor Carolyn Comitta also attended the rally.

“We’re here today to make a stand for human rights and women’s rights,” Comitta said.  “We’re here for our right to chose and for our right to reproductive privacy.”

Planned Parenthood funding has come under attack recently, and representatives of the organization said that Mitt Romney plans to eliminate all federal Planned Parenthood funding.

“We would be harmed by the policies that Romeny and Ryan support,” said Southeastern Pennsylvania Planned Parenthood President Dayle Steinberg.  “Romney and Ryan are out of touch and wrong for America.”

“For a lot of women, a Planned Parenthood doctor is the only doctor they’ll see all year,” said Joy Britcliffe a nurse practitioner who works at several Planned Parenthoods across Chester County. 

Besides birth control services, Planned Parenthood provides a whole slate of women’s health services including breast exams, pap smears and family planning.

“Birth control is an economic issue and a medical issue,” Britcliffe said.  “If Romeny is elected we stand to lose a lot.”