Director Joss Whedon has released a short film that imagines what the world could look like without Planned Parenthood — more STDs, teen pregnancies, and cancer caught too late.
“If politicians succeed in shutting down Planned Parenthood, millions of people lose access to basic health services. STD testing, birth control, cancer screenings…how can these be at risk?” Whedon said in a statement. “For so many, there’s an obvious tipping point between hope and despair. Planned Parenthood is a beacon of hope, and anyone trying to shut it down is committing an act of evil. It’s not just inhumane — it’s inhuman. I just wanted to remind those of us with some humanity still stirring how much is at stake.”
The three-minute video comes just as Texas is seeking to get back Medicaid funding it gave up so it could ban Planned Parenthood from participating in a family planning program for low-income women. The request, if approved, could open the door to allow other states to exclude Planned Parenthood from Medicaid without giving up federal money.
The video was released after the American Health Care Act — which includes a provision that prohibits people on Medicaid from getting care at Planned Parenthood — recently passed the House of Representatives.
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Write to Charlotte Alter at charlotte.alter@time.com