Society likes to think they are pro-woman, but from the wage gap to cultural stigmas, I think more and more we are realizing that’s not necessarily true. However, pregnancy resource centers often strive to fight this stigma by truly empowering women.
This month, my friend Josh, a 20 something, male, Executive Director at a pregnancy resource center in New York (how’s THAT for breaking stereotypes?) opened my eyes to all the ways pregnancy resource centers are coming alongside women and treating women better than society as a whole.
- Pregnancy centers believe women are smart enough and fully capable to make informed decisions for themselves.
Ok, I know we shouldn’t have to unpack that women are “smart enough” to make their own decisions, but as a woman, I know that we do. For example, I recently called a company to start our garbage collection service in our home. After talking with the employee on the phone and narrowing down my options, I told the technician I was ready with my debit card. The technician said, and I quote: “Do you need to take some time to check with your husband first?”
Needless to say, I went with one of their competitors. But this isn’t the only time this happens, from garbage cans to birth control methods, to abortion, society often feels like they know what’s better for a woman than the woman herself, often withholding knowledge and pushing a specific choice a woman must make.
Pregnancy resource centers do the exact opposite. They make sure women are fully informed on ALL of their legal options and what exactly each of these options entail. They lovingly support a woman as she makes an informed decision.
- Pregnancy centers go beyond the controversy and politics to meet women right where they are and fulfill their needs. For free.
Pregnancy resource centers care about women. One of the ways they show they care is by providing them with needed resources, for free. Planned Parenthood is a nonprofit that received $553 million dollars in government funding in 2014-2015, according to their annual report. And yet they still charge women for their services.
PRC’s are nonprofits with very low budgets that provide women with all of their services for free. Whether it’s health services, pregnancy resources, diapers, parenting classes, car seats, adoption services, or post-abortion counseling, PRC’s meet a woman’s need at no cost to her.
- Pregnancy centers are pro-woman before, during, and post pregnancy, even if that pregnancy ends in abortion.
They do not abandon women, especially women facing a pregnancy decision. Our current society is pro-woman, pre-pregnancy – if she chooses an abortion, but not after. This is true of both post abortive women as well as women post birth seeking maternity leave, society is just not structured to serve women. However, PRC’s are pro-woman pre-pregnancy, during pregnancy, and post pregnancy, even if her pregnancy ends in abortion.
- Pre-pregnancy: They provide women with educational resources and STI testing, for example.
- During pregnancy: They provide women with physical resources, counseling, and spiritual guidance.
- Post pregnancy: They provide women with parenting classes and adoption services as well as genuine community. And if the woman should choose an abortion, PRC’s do not abandon them there, either. They provide women with post-abortion recovery services and counseling.
This is why Save the Storks is so passionate about working with pregnancy resource centers.
