Katy Perry has made a $10,000 donation to Planned Parenthood and is urging fans to follow her lead in the wake of Donald Trump’s presidential victory last week.
The 32-year-old singer posted a photo of her donation confirmation on Instagram on Sunday, while vowing to support organizations that could face funding cuts in Trump’s administration.
“I am making a public donation to Planned Parenthood for the teenage me, who made several visits to first a clinic in Santa Barbara and then Los Angeles, CA to educate myself on my sexual health, a subject I had little to no information on because of my sheltered upbringing,” Perry wrote.
“I had no idea how things worked down there, and had no idea how to make a plan for them,” the staunch Hillary Clinton supporter continued. “Planned Parenthood educated me on my body and my reproductive health, so that I could focus on my dreams and using my voice until I knew the timing was right for me to make a plan to have a family.”
Perry went on to declare that without Planned Parenthood she “may have had a different life path.”
Noting that the organization is the only support some low-income families have, the singer then opened up about her own financial struggles with health matters while she was growing up in California.
“I came from a lower- to middle-class family and never grew up with the option of health insurance,” she wrote. “I remember having 13 cavities as a teenager, and the best option my parents could come up with was to try and take me to Mexico because we couldn't afford anything in California.”
"It's time to turn words into action❗️There are so many steps to take, but my first vow is to support organizations that may have their funding support taken from them in the future by the government. I am making a public donation to Planned Parenthood for the teenage me who made several visits to first a clinic in Santa Barbara and then Los Angeles, CA to educate myself on my sexual health, a subject I had little to no information on because of my sheltered upbringing. I had no idea how things worked down there, and had no idea how to make a plan for them. Planned Parenthood educated me on my body and my reproductive health, so that I could focus on my dreams and using my voice until I knew the timing was right for me to make a plan to have a family. Since then, I have been able to focus wholeheartedly on bringing messages of strength and becoming a voice for others. Without this education, I may have had a different life path. That is just my experience, but I know Planned Parenthood's broader range of services can sometimes be the only medical support low-income families ever see. I know what it's like to need help. I came from a lower- to middle-class family and never grew up with the option of health insurance. I remember having 13 cavities as a teenager, and the best option my parents could come up with was to try and take me to Mexico because we couldn't afford anything in California. I am grateful for and stand in support of Planned Parenthood for giving Katheryn Hudson the knowledge to plan, and for continuing to be a haven for women to learn all options for their future. Now, more than ever, we all need to protect and create safe places for each other. I hope I can help inspire you to make a gift as well, and become a member and an ally. Go to: https://www.plannedparenthood.org to show your support. #wewontgoback"
Perry recently revealed that her parents were Trump supporters, adding that her whole family will “still be sitting at the same table for Thanksgiving.”