Published: March 2, 2011

The House of Representatives passed an amendment by a vote of 240-185 on Feb. 18 to end federal funding for Planned Parenthood, the nation’s leading sexual healthcare provider. With the organization’s longevity at stake, FCLC students  are generating responses from both sides of the spectrum.

According to Gabrielle Lantieri, FCLC ’11, this is a cause that should be on students’ radar. The disappearance of organizations like Planned Parenthood will leave students in the dark about comprehensive sex education, medical services and reproductive health because these amenities are not offered to students through Fordham’s health center.

“This is something Fordham does not want to talk about. It opens a whole can of worms because students don’t have access to condoms or birth control,” Lantieri said.

Sarah Shultz, FCLC ’11, feels the same way.  “I feel like the topic has been hushed on campus which is extremely upsetting since Fordham is a huge social activist school. It is one of the things I love about Fordham, so where is the dialogue? Where do we stand?” Shultz said.

Students like Natasha Pascetta, FCLC ’11, feel otherwise. “I haven’t seen anything around school, which makes sense to me because Fordham is a Jesuit university. I think that there are plenty of other organizations and ways to obtain medical services like cancer screenings and birth control without using Planned Parenthood,” Pascetta said.

Being a Jesuit university, Fordham firmly aligns itself with the teachings and traditions of Catholicism. Students like Lantieri and Schultz both understand and respect the lack of sexual health services offered through Fordham’s health center. However, this doesn’t account for the lack of communication, sustained dialogue, and vital discussions students desire.

“The perception is that Planned Parenthood is only about abortions. Abortion is a topic that cannot be addressed without sweeping generalities. It is disheartening that Fordham is a place where these issues can not be addressed or discussed in a loving way,” Lantieri said.

While Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider for women in the United States, they also offer mammograms, STD and cervical cancer testing, breast exams, family planning and general gynecological care at discounted and sometimes even free rates.  If the bill is passed, essential sexual healthcare will only be accessible to those who have the means to afford it.

In Planned Parenthood’s annual report, they stated that abortions compromise only three percent of their total health services. Despite this fact, for many students like Pascetta, abortion is a deal breaker when it comes to supporting Planned Parenthood.

“My problem with Planned Parenthood is that they provide abortions,” Pascetta said. “It might only be three percent, but it’s still part of their services. When money is going to a facility like this, it doesn’t matter if it’s going to the actual operation or other services; it is helping Planned Parenthood turn on its lights.”

For some students, the issue of abortion isn’t always so black and white. “The problem at Fordham is that people only want to see extremes and when we only see extremes, it no longer becomes about the people involved,” Lantieri said. “This is about individual women, their lives, bodies and relationships and making sure everyone is entitled to making decisions that affect their individual needs,”

The ideology that Lantieri speaks of is almost identical to that of the Jesuits. On Fordham’s website it says, “Fordham recognizes the dignity and uniqueness of each person. A Fordham education at all levels is student-centered, and attentive to the development of the whole person.”

For Sarah Schultz, knowing the ideology that Fordham embodies as a result of its Jesuit traditions, she finds it disheartening to see such apathy amongst the Fordham community.

“I think as a Jesuit school, wanting to stand in solidarity with people who need help is the primary goal. There should be more of student presence towards this because Planned Parenthood is the definition of solidarity. It is standing hand in hand with people that need help, guidance, and understanding,” Shultz said.

According to Planned Parenthood’s latest report, more than 3 million women, men and teens annually seek their services nationwide. While the bill is unlikely to be passed by the Democratic-majority Senate, the national attention of the bill calls for students and the Fordham community to evaluate where they stand.