While controversy rages over the Gosnell abortion trial coverage — or lack thereof — President Barack Obama will headline the annual Planned Parenthood gala celebrating what the organization calls “champions of women’s health.”
“President Obama has done more than any president in history for women’s health and rights,” Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement on Planned Parenthood’s website.
The “Time For Care” event, held in Washington on Thursday, will honor Dr. Ruth K. Westheimer, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and ‘Girls‘ star Lena Dunham, according to the statement.
Westheimer will be honored for empowering people to talk openly about sex, Villaraigosa is being celebrated for protecting women’s issues in his city and Dunham — also famous for her creepy Obama 2012 ‘First Time’ ad — will receive the “Maggie Award for Media Excellence” for her “realistic and honest portrayal of the complex issues facing young women today.”
Tumblr will also be honored with a “Partner of the Year Award” and singer Estelle, best known for her 2008 single “American Boy,” will perform at the gala.
President Obama was chosen to give the keynote address because of his positions on birth control and contraception, the statement noted.
“He understands that access to birth control and preventive health care are economic issues for women and their families,” Richards said. “We fought alongside him to ensure that women’s health access was expanded in the landmark Affordable Care Act, and now we have to fight hard to ensure that the full promise of health care reform is realized for millions of women.”
