The proposed plan the Republican Party released this week to replace the Affordable Care Act would weaken North Dakotans' options for care and undermine Planned Parenthood's ability to provide care to people most in need.
As a registered nurse at the Moorhead clinic and a master's student in women's health, I know firsthand the importance of Planned Parenthood's services and its presence in our community. I see the unique support we provide our patients every day and the role we play in their lives.
One of the most significant things we do at Planned Parenthood is provide safe and compassionate care for victims of sexual assault.
The story of a young woman, a student at North Dakota State University, is an example of this important work. She had been out with friends at a bar and, at some point in the night, was drugged and sexually assaulted. She woke up alone, in a strange place, with no memory of what had happened to her.
Feeling guilty and ashamed, afraid to confide even in her friends, she turned to Planned Parenthood - a provider she had never been to before. At her most vulnerable, she did not feel comfortable visiting her primary care doctor and instead sought a safe place at our Moorhead clinic, where she could begin to process what had happened and receive crucial health services.
ADVERTISEMENT
North Dakota politicians claim that if Planned Parenthood clinics were closed, people could just go elsewhere for their care. I know firsthand this isn't the case - people choose to go to our clinics because we fill a need that is often not met by other providers.
Women and men feel safe turning to Planned Parenthood. They know they will be welcomed at our clinics, treated without judgment and connected to the care they need.
Selzler lives in Fargo.
