Amber Heard, Maggie Gyllenhaal Support Planned Parenthood After Loss of Federal Funding

Photo: Aurora Rose/Patrick McMullan via Getty

Amber Heard,Maggie GyllenhaalandChelsea Handlerare among the celebrities speaking out to defendPlanned Parenthoodsince it will no longer be receiving federal funding.

On Monday, the reproductive healthcare non-profit announced that it would not be able to accept funds from the Title X federal family planning program, which provides about$60 million annuallyto help provide healthcare services to primarily low-income women.

The Trump administration created restrictions on Title X recipients to prohibit doctors and clinic staff from providing abortion referrals to their patients.

Aquamanactress Heard, 33, tweeted Tuesday, “My body. My choice, not yours, Trump. Health care is under attack like never before. But the one sure thing? Planned Parenthood is here for good. I stand w/ Planned Parenthood, & Planned Parenthood stands w/ u.#IStandWithPP#ProtectX,” she wrote.

Maggie Gyllenhaalalso posted on Twitter, urging people to reach out to Congress to stand up for Planned Parenthood.

“THIS IS A DIRECT ATTACK ON THE EQUALITY OF WOMEN,” the actress, 41, wrote. “The Trump admin just forced Planned Parenthood out of Title X, even though millions have received birth control, cancer screenings and other care through Title X at@ppfahealth centers for nearly 50 years. Tell Congress to#ProtectX: 202-601-3441#IStandWithPP.”

Television personality Chelsea Handler posted her thoughts as well.

“The time to#StandWithPPis NOW. The Trump admin just forced Planned Parenthood out of Title X, even though millions have received birth control and other care through Title X at@ppfahealth centers for nearly 50 years,” Handler, 44, said.

In addition, Varietymagazineannounced Wednesday that it will make a donation to Planned Parenthood instead of throwing its annual party for Emmy Award nominees in partnership with Women in Film.

“Variety continues to advocate for women’s rights, including issues of healthcare and gender disparity in the entertainment industry, and we stand with Planned Parenthood and our longstanding partnership withWomen In Film,” said Variety editor-in-chief Claudia Eller and group publisher and chief revenue officer Michelle Sobrino-Stearns.

According to Planned Parenthood and organizations like the American Medical Association, this new rule would force medical professionals to withhold information from patients, jeopardize the doctor-patient relationship and would deny women knowledge of their options, theNew York Timesreported.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein tweeted, “For years Title X has helped low-income women get the health care they need. By undermining Title X and Planned Parenthood, the administration is jeopardizing the ability of millions of women to receive cancer screenings, birth control and more#StandWithPP#ProtectX.”

In Utah, where Planned Parenthood is the only organization that receives Title X funds and has helped 39,000 mostly low-income, uninsured people, they will lose about $2 million yearly in federal funds. While the organization will maintain their services like STD testing and contraception, it is possible they will start charging a small copay for patients — who used to get services for free — to make up for the charges., theAPreports.

Minnesota, which serves about 90 percent of the state’s Title X population, is in a similar boat and may start charging fees as well.

Planned Parenthood CEO Karrie Galloway said that the organization plans to rely heavily on their donors to fill the funding gap.

Other possibilities to make up the extra costs could include “instituting copays of $10-$15 per visit, shortening hours and trimming spending,” she told theAP.

source: people.com