Planned Parenthood in Indiana is offering gift cards this year for purchase.
quote: Here's an original holiday gift idea to help the person who may have everything, including a little something they don't really want. A new way to mark the festive yearend celebration of life -- a gift certificate for an abortion.
This year, for the first time, Planned Parenthood of Indiana is offering holiday gift certificates for that certain someone in your life who may want a breast exam, a pap smear or perhaps not want another life in their life.
Calling them an "unusual yet practical gift this holiday season," the organization is selling gift certificates in $25 denominations, redeemable at any of the group's 35 statewide locations for their services, including health screenings, birth control and abortion services.
A Planned Parenthood website page notes that a standard women's health exam costs $58 while abortions in the first trimester can run from $350 to $900.
There's even an online page to order the certificates if you know someone in Indiana who desires such services.
According to Ms. magazine, an official of the Hoosier Planned Parenthood group explained:
"People are making really tough decisions about putting gas in their car and food on their table, so we know that many women especially put healthcare at their bottom of their list to do."
The official explained the group offers a range of services that can be purchased with the gift cards including pap smears, breast exams, birth control prescriptions and abortions. The organization performs about 5,000 abortions a year, according to one published figure, out of 92,000 patients treated.
Indiana's health commissioner, Judy Monroe, ignores the mounting political denunciations and calls the idea "really a meaningful gift."
One of the strangest gift ideas I've ever seen. I'd feel uncomfortable getting this as a gift for someone. I'd probably feel uncomfortable watching someone open up a card to find out they got one. Not because of the services Planned Parenthood offers, (My wife and I have gone there for her checkups and birth control in the past) but because of the message it sends to the person you are giving it to.
"Merry Christmas honey, I know you like to have sex, so here's a gift card so you can get an abortion in case you aren't careful enough!"
What is the strangest holiday present you have heard of or have received?
Posted by MattP (Member # 10495) on :
Why are you focusing on abortions? They offer many services. Buying a gift certificate "just in case" for an abortion seems about the least likely reason someone would buy one.
Posted by 0Megabyte (Member # 8624) on :
Yes, it's not exactly the equivalent of sending a single wire clothes-hanger.
A packet of condoms or of the pill or something would be... strange, but that's closer to the truth in this case. So, it should still count as a strange gift to give for Christmas, even if abortion isn't the focus, as it probably isn't!
Posted by Geraine (Member # 9913) on :
Matt P, sometimes people provide examples. I think I made it clear that I know PP provides other services, as my wife and I have utilized their services. My post was not anti-abortion, it was simply intended to show the kind of awkward conversation that could occur.
And like 0Mega said, even if it were for another service, it would be just as strange. A gift card to get a Pap Smear, birth control pills, or a cervical cancer vaccine would likely get some raised eyebrows.
Maybe as a white elephant gift it would be fine, but I just couldn't imagine any other situation in which it wouldn't just be awkward.
Posted by Mucus (Member # 9735) on :
A $1000 gift card for an abortion would seem unlikely "in case."
What I think is more likely, would be that a gift card from a parent to a college-age child intended for birth control would actually be a pretty decent idea, removing the financial disincentive against buying birth control.
Posted by AchillesHeel (Member # 11736) on :
Can you imagine realizing that your $1000 PP gift card is about to expire, do you hock it or come home with a car filled with condoms?
Posted by Herblay (Member # 11834) on :
quote:Originally posted by AchillesHeel: Can you imagine realizing that your $1000 PP gift card is about to expire, do you hock it or come home with a car filled with condoms?
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)