Norfolk restaurant donating rosé profits to Planned Parenthood after anti-abortion law

May 20-- May 20--NORFOLK -- Courtney White remembers learning in school about Roe vs. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

On Wednesday, she was outraged to find out Alabama's governor signed an anti-abortion bill into law, banning the procedure even in cases of rape and incest.

"You learn about it in school and seeing it erode now in my adulthood, I don't like it," White said. "I don't like it one bit."

Now a 31-year-old business owner and chef, she's speaking up.

White owns Blanca Food + Wine, located at 4117 Granby Street, and has decided to donate all the money she makes from rosé wine on tap to Planned Parenthood. She made the announcement on the restaurant's Instagram story Thursday night.

White said they sold out of rosé on Saturday night. They'll get more Tuesday.

"People were coming and asking for it," she said. "The response was so good that we sold that keg faster than we normally do."

She and her staff made the decision collectively. There are about nine employees and most of them are women.

"I feel like it's a huge injustice to the women of Alabama," she said. "I really believe in a woman's right to choose and also reproductive justice and the healthcare that goes along with that."

Planned Parenthood's national and Virginia spokespeople did not respond to interview requests for this article.

Legislative changes regarding women's reproductive rights have prompted jumps in Planned Parenthood donations before. In 2016, the organization's president told The Atlantic they saw "an unprecedented outpouring of support" with almost 80,000 donations shortly after President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were elected.

White said she'll keep the donations up at least through June and is considering a pop-up brunch to also support Planned Parenthood. She may look into helping other local organizations as well.

She said thinks she has a duty to use her platform as a woman business owner to speak up.

"I think using that power, it has been a cool thing to come into my own and find that out."

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