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We Stand With Planned Parenthood


There was a time when I stood inside a Planned Parenthood clinic.

I was 19 years old, in college. It was the 1980's and President Reagan hadn't yet said AIDS out loud. Meanwhile, his wife had crowds chanting Just Say No.

I wanted to say Yes. Not to drugs, but to sex.

To the warm, welcoming, caring and informed staff at Planned Parenthood, that was perfectly normal and entirely acceptable. They talked to me openly and directly.

They made sure I had everything I needed to take care of myself.

Last night, many members of the board of the Conant Family Foundation and I attended the Planned Parenthood dinner downtown.

I'm not going to ask you to imagine hundreds of men gathering to celebrate an organization that gives them basic healthcare, answers their questions about sex, and provides safe medical options so that they don't have to have babies when they aren't ready or already have all the children they want. Because that would be silly.

Diana Rauner, President of the Ounce of Prevention Fund, introduced the night's honoree, Helen Zell. Both spoke passionately in support of all that Planned Parenthood provides.

Meanwhile, Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale -- which I first read in college -- debuts on Hulu this week.

And Ms. Rauner's husband, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, is the one threatening to Just Say No.

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