Informative
Speech
Planned Parenthood
Topic: Planned Parenthood
General Purpose: To inform
Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about services provided at
Planned Parenthood.
Thesis: Planned Parenthood is an organization that has
provided men and women services ranging from family planning and birth control
to treatment for sexually transmitted diseases for over sixty years.
Introduction
I. Two
years ago, I found out that my ex-husband had been cheating on me over the year
that we had been married.
A. I lived
with the fear that he had given me AIDS.
B. Living with this fear, I realized I
needed to be tested.
C. I went to a place were I received the
help and compassion I needed during that time.
II. Planned
Parenthood is an organization that has provided men and women services ranging
from family planning and birth control to treatment for sexually transmitted
diseases for over sixty years.
III. I have
been a patient there for three years, and have experienced their services first
hand many of which are offered at reasonable prices.
IV. I want
to tell you about Planned Parenthood Federation of America because they can
help you, too.
A. This is
a place, here in Fort Collins
that can help men and women through some challenging times in their lives.
B. No matter
your background, they can offer everyone some help.
V. In
order to have an understanding of the services provided at Planned Parenthood
you need to, first understand the myths associated with this agency, then have
an understanding of the family planning and birth control services, and last
learn about the testing and treatment done for sexually transmitted diseases.
[Transition: Let us know turn
our attention to Planned parenthoods’ mission statement and common
misconceptions about planed parenthood]
Body
I. In a
recent interview with John Legman, a pro-life advocate, I learned that the
misconception of Planned Parenthood is that it is only an abortion clinic.
A. It is
possible to be pro-life and still take advantage of other services without compromising
your beliefs.
1. Planned
Parenthood offers many different services, depending on their patients’ needs.
2. Going
to Planned Parenthood does not mean that you subscribe to a specific set of
values, it is there for your needs.
B. Planned
Parenthood’s mission, accessed from their website (www.plannedparenthood.org)
reflects their openness to all.
1. They
believe that it is each individual’s right to manage his or her fertility.
a. Within
this right is the right to privacy and respect.
b. All
people will be helped without regard to income, marital status, race,
ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, national origin or residence.
c. Planned
Parenthood also believes that their respect for diversity is essential to carry
out their goals.
2. They
believe that their goals will contribute to quality of life, strong family
relationships, and population stability.
3. Planned
Parenthood provides high quality affordable reproductive health care to men and
women in 875 local health centers across the country.
[Transition: I have
experienced their dedication to their mission statement. Let me now tell you
about the services they offer.]
II. Family planning and birth control often go hand-in-hand.
A. Family
planning is a way for women and men to plan out how and when they want to have
their family develop.
1. One
method is by using birth control devices, such as oral contraceptives, barrier
methods and internal methods.
a. These
different ways help the person to control his or her fertility, keeping them
from getting pregnant.
b. Some of these methods also help from sexually transmitted
diseases.
c. Birth control is a personal choice.
(1) Planned
Parenthood will talk with you about your lifestyle, habits, needs and issues to
determine what contraceptive method is best for you.
(2) Many
of the methods are offered through Planned Parenthood at a reasonable price.
2. Another
method of birth control they inform their patients about is Natural Family
planning.
a. This
method is based on a woman‘s menstrual cycle, her body temperature and various
other means according the book The Art of
Natural Family Planning.
b. There
are no drugs or “unnatural“ means used, making it a good choice for people who
want to plan out their family based on religious principles.
3. Planned
Parenthood is also equipped to assist you with yearly gynecological screenings
to ensure that your method is right for you.
[Transition: This now leads
me into the last service I want to inform you about.]
III. The last service is sexually transmitted disease testing and
treatment.
A. There are
15 million new cases of STD‘s diagnosed each year in the United States.
1. You
could be at risk and not even know it because two-thirds of these cases occur
in the 15 to 24-age bracket.
2. A dear
friend of mine (who wants to remain anonymous) was diagnosed with Human
Papillomavirus about seven years ago.
a. In an
interview with her last Monday, she told me she switched her primary care to
Planned Parenthood after her diagnosis.
b. She
was treated with more respect and compassion by Planned Parenthood than by her
regular doctor.
B. Any test
for any STD is available from Planned Parenthood, at no risk to you.
1. Confidentiality
and respect is foremost on their mind.
2. Counseling
sessions are conducted before any test so that you know what will happen.
3. All
tests and results are confidential and are offered at a reasonable price.
4. If you
do test positive for anything, do notify your primary care physician, but
Planned Parenthood can treat you just as easily.
[Transition: In Conclusion]
Conclusion
I. I have told you only a piece in a large pie of what is
Planned Parenthood.
A. You
know the standard this agency holds itself to.
B. You
know the different options of family planning and or birth control they offer.
C. You
know where to go for STD testing and treatment.
II. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact
our Local Planned Parenthood.
A. They
treated me with the compassion I needed.
B. Thankfully,
my HIV test was negative.
III. I leave
you with a quote: “In many communities around the world, Planned Parenthood is
the only source of affordable, quality reproductive health care services and
information . . .”
Works Cited
Kippley, John F. and Sheila
K. Kippley. The Art of Natural Family
Planning. 4th ed. Ohio:
Couple
to Couple League, 1996.
Kippley, John F. The Legacy of Margaret Sanger. Ohio, 1998.
Longeman, John. Personal
interview. 16 October, 2000.
Personal interview. 14 October, 2000.
Planned Parenthood Federation
of America website. 16
October 2000.
Serotta, Betty. Colorado Religious Collation for Abortion Rights. Denver: 1998.
