After only serving as Planned Parenthood’s president for 10 months, Leana Wen was recently ousted by the far-left organization. In a New York Times op-ed, Wen outlined the disagreements in approach and philosophy that resulted in her firing. Reportedly, one of the main issues was her wish for Planned Parenthood to accept pro-life advocates into the fold.
Wen revealed that she didn’t simply desire for Planned Parenthood to be seen as a politically progressive abortion machine. It appears other leaders in the organization had different plans. In her op-ed, Wen commented, “Perhaps the greatest area of tension was over our work to be inclusive of those with nuanced views about abortion. I reached out to people who wrestle with abortion’s moral complexities, but who will speak out against government interference in personal medical decisions.”
She went on to say, “I engaged those who identify as being pro-life, but who support safe, legal abortion access because they don’t want women to die from back-alley abortions. I even worked with people who oppose abortion but support Planned Parenthood because of the preventive services we provide — we share the desire to reduce the need for abortion through sex education and birth control.” Wen commented, “we need to stop treating those whose views differ from our own with scorn and suspicion and instead work together to safeguard our health, our rights, and our future.”
The fired Planned Parenthood leader divulged that she experienced “immediate criticism” because she didn’t “prioritize abortion enough.” Wen also voiced that she didn’t view abortion as a stand-alone issue. Wen remarked, “In the end, I was asked to leave for the same reason I was hired: I was changing the direction of Planned Parenthood.” Disturbingly, the former Planned Parenthood president said, “The new board leadership has determined that the priority of Planned Parenthood moving forward is to double down on abortion rights advocacy.”
The chief legal officer for Americans United for Life, Steve Aden, revealed to CBN News this week that Wen fundamentally misunderstood her former progressive employer. He stated, “The mistake that Dr. Wen made is, unfortunately, the same mistake that thousands of American women make every year. She trusted Planned Parenthood when Planned Parenthood said it’s all about women’s healthcare.”
Before joining the pro-life movement, Abby Johnson led a Planned Parenthood clinic in Texas. Johnson was an avid abortion advocate until she was forced to participate in an ultra-sound-guided abortion procedure. The experience left her with a horrifying, clear picture of what occurs during an abortion, “especially a late-term one.”
Regarding Wen, Johnson remarked, “I thought it was an interesting move when Planned Parenthood hired Dr. Leana Wen. I think they were trying to give themselves some credibility. But they really need an activist because they’re really not in the business of promoting healthcare, even of providing standard healthcare. They’re in the business of abortion.”
TheBlaze reported that “Wen should not be mistaken for an ally of the pro-life cause, however.” Regardless of her disagreements with Planned Parenthood about the extent abortion should be highlighted, the conservative media outlet insisted that Wen’s ultimate objective is to ramp up abortion access and normalize the egregious procedure around the country as “standard healthcare.” The ousted Planned Parenthood president said, “To counter those who associate the organization only with abortion and use this misconception to attack its mission, I wanted to tell the story of all of its services — and in so doing, to normalize abortion care as the health care it is.”
Wen’s ousting signals how cut-throat Planned Parenthood plans to be in its quest to promote abortion. In decades past, abortion supporters, including politicians, framed the gruesome procedure as a necessary evil that should be avoided if possible. In today’s ramped-up environment, abortion advocates seemingly want to glorify abortion as something that should be celebrated and done as often as one wants to, even after birth. During his tenure in the White House, President Donald Trump has unashamedly fought for the lives of the unborn. Protecting these innocent little ones is yet another reason to fight for his re-election in 2020.
