Planned Parenthood finds itself in hot water once again after distributing coloring books featuring anatomically explicit illustrations to children, initially denying the incident before claiming it was an honest mistake.
The controversy erupted on March 21 at the Kentucky Science Center, where a group of over 400 children aged eight to thirteen from local schools were present.
In a social media post on Wednesday, the Science Center issued an apology, stating:
We sincerely apologize for the distribution of a Planned Parenthood coloring book at our recent Health & Wellness Days event. Planned Parenthood provided this material without our consent and it does not reflect our policies or the intended content for the event.
We deeply regret the harm this caused. We are taking immediate steps to ensure that all materials distributed at our events are thoroughly reviewed in advance and this partner is no longer welcome at the Science Center.
However, according to WDRB, Planned Parenthood refuted the claims, labeling them as “false” and suggesting that the uproar is part of a “coordinated attempt to stir outrage and manufacture controversy.”
As reported by WDRB:
Jennifer Allen, the director of external affairs for the Planned Parenthood region encompassing Kentucky and Indiana, contradicted the Science Center’s statement on Wednesday. In a written response, she asserted that Planned Parenthood was invited to serve as a “community partner” at the Health & Wellness Days to provide scientifically based information.
“We want to be clear: the coloring book currently being circulated online was not distributed at the event,” Allen stated. “Claims suggesting otherwise are false and appear to be part of a coordinated attempt to stir outrage and manufacture controversy. We remain committed to supporting Kentucky youth and families with the information they need to lead safe and healthy lives.”
Heather Terry from Elizabethtown recounted how her 9-year-old daughter returned home from a school trip with the coloring book.
“I don’t care where the content came from,” Terry expressed. “I just know she got it at the Science Center and it had Planned Parenthood on it. My concern is about the material itself and its appropriateness for my child. I believe I should have control over when and how she receives that kind of information, rather than it being handed out freely.”
Moreover, it was reported that the Science Center had previously emailed Planned Parenthood and other event partners, requesting that they inform the center of any materials they intended to bring. However, Planned Parenthood allegedly arrived over an hour late, complicating the vetting process for their materials. What a remarkable coincidence!
In a subsequent update on Friday, the Science Center included a statement from Planned Parenthood, which marked a retreat from their earlier stance. “We have learned that a staff member inadvertently distributed an item that wouldn’t typically be used in a setting like this event…we apologize for this error and are reviewing our internal protocols,” the organization stated:
We appreciate the dialogue in this comment section and want to give an update on this situation.
Our mission is, and always has been, to inspire a love of science through education and we regret that the adult-oriented coloring book was distributed and are taking ownership of this issue by reinforcing our processes to prevent it from happening again.
We also appreciate Planned Parenthood acknowledging this mistake, and helping clarify the situation by stating: “We have learned that a staff member inadvertently distributed an item that wouldn’t typically be used in a setting like this event…we apologize for this error and are reviewing our internal protocols.”
We understand that many people feel strongly about this, and we respect all perspectives. Our focus remains on providing a welcoming space for science education. We hope to see you at the Science Center in the future as we continue to serve our community.
For a comprehensive account of this incident, additional articles have been published by WAVE, the Courier-Journal, WLKY, and WHAS.
For further details, click here.
