Planned Parenthood Federation: Trump-Pence Administration to Erase ‘Sexual and Reproductive Health’ From U.S. Diplomacy

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 -- The Planned Parenthood Federation of America issued the following news release:

Today, Planned Parenthood condemns the U.S. State Department's proposal to prohibit U.S. diplomats around the world from using the terms "sexual and reproductive health" and "comprehensive sexuality education." This proposal erases critical pieces of people's health and lives and bans widely accepted language. The unprecedented move further promotes stigma related to sexual and reproductive health care services -- including contraception, testing and treatment for HIV and other STIs, safe and legal abortion, and sex education.

Statement by Latanya Mapp Frett, Executive Director of Planned Parenthood Global:

These attempts to control the language and restrict the words U.S. diplomats are permitted to use threaten the vital work our foreign service officers and technical experts do on the ground every day to promote health and human rights. In my time with USAID, I saw firsthand the influence the United States wields in countries around the world, including our ability to define and determine how the world talks about certain issues -- or doesn't. The Trump-Pence administration's flagrant censorship needlessly endangers the health and rights of anyone who seeks to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights, especially women, young people, and the LGBTQ community. We will not stand by as this administration works to undo decades of global progress for health care access and human rights.

The proposed change was reported by Politico and follows the Trump-Pence administration's relentless attacks on reproductive health and human rights around the world, including:

* Unprecedented expansion of the global gag rule;

* Proposing new rules designed to make it impossible for millions of patients to receive care from Planned Parenthood;

* Removing mentions of human rights abuses related to reproductive health in the annual State Department Human Rights Report;

* Plans to erase civil rights protections for transgender people by narrowly defining gender identity.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America will continue to monitor the proposed changes.