Cecile Richards: People Should ‘Think Carefully’ About ‘The Way They Demonize Women’

Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said people should “really think carefully about the way they talk about healthcare providers in this country, the way they demonize women” while discussing the shooting at a Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs on Monday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show.”

Richards stated, “what I can tell you is from where I sit at Planned Parenthood, we have seen, over the last three months, as there have been renewed and aggressive attacks on — not only on Planned Parenthood, but on abortion doctors, harassment of women at health centers, the escalation over the last few months has been very significant. And I do think it’s time for people in this country, elected officials, leaders, people who want to be president of the United States, to really think carefully about the way they talk about healthcare providers in this country, the way they demonize women and the decisions they make about their pregnancies. I think it’s time for everyone to take stock of that, because I do believe words have consequences.”

She added, “I don’t know what the direct correlation is, but I have never seen the kind of rhetoric we’re seeing now in this presidential election, the demonization not only, again, of Planned Parenthood, but of women who have abortions, of doctors who provide abortions, which are safe and legal, in the United States of America. Women shouldn’t have to fear for their safety. They shouldn’t have to be harassed just for exercising their right to healthcare in America. And unfortunately, O think that’s what we’re seeing more and more at health centers, not only in Colorado, but across the country.”

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