Research Paper Introduction and Background Information

There are many issues that have surfaced in recent years, but few have stirred the pot as much as Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood Federation of America, or PPFA for short, has been the source of much controversy, especially in politics. Currently, there is debate about whether or not the government should fund Planned Parenthood services. Although these issues are causing a divide among Americans, Planned Parenthood needs government funding because it is a vital source of resources and information for the people who cannot afford regular medical care.

Planned Parenthood was originally founded by Margaret Sanger. Her mission was to create a safe place for women to get resources and information about limiting family sizes. Her main goal, as The Public Writing and Speeches of Margaret Sanger points out, was to create a “one-stop-shop” for women to get birth control, contraceptives and information about sex and sexually transmitted infections. Sanger created Planned Parenthood because “Events converged to make fertility control programs increasingly needed and wanted in many parts of the world in 1954.” (qtd Sanger 1954). She wanted women to have the option of controlling her family size and sexual health, to prevent the spread of STI’s and reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies.