Go to Content Go to Navigation Go to Navigation Go to Site Search Homepage

Growing up, my family always had open and candid conversations about sex, contraception and abortion. It was a point of pride for my mother to pass information down to me and my siblings because that was not her experience with her mother. 

Even though my grandmother never told her daughters anything about sex, my grandfather was a physician and armed his daughters with a year’s supply of birth control when they went to college. The contraception was there but the openness and frank discussion about sex wasn’t there for my mother. She was determined to have an open, frank relationship with her children and I am so grateful she did.  

However, I quickly realized that other families, especially in the Black community, did not have candid conversations sex and abortion. I experienced numerous awkward moments when I started talking with friends about what I thought were normal topics, but other people considered taboo subjects.

Even in college, one of my first jobs was to give young women resources on an abortion hotline. Many of the women I spoke with were in crisis and did not have anyone else to talk to about these issues and choices. It was eye opening and made me even more grateful for my family’s openness. 

When I joined the Planned Parenthood of Illinois Board, it was with the goal of making abortion and contraception a normal part of health care for all of Illinois. And I am so proud of the work Planned Parenthood does, especially around sex education. 

 

Planned Parenthood is the nation’s largest provider of sex education, reaching 1.5 million people a year. In Illinois, its educators cover a broad range of age appropriate topics related to sex, reproduction and birth control. They also go in-depth about consent and how to have healthy relationships with partners as well as friends.

With my two sons, my husband and I are open and honest about sex, contraception and abortion. We talk to them about sex in everyday conversations rather than having “the talk.” We discuss consent and what it takes to have a healthy relationship. We chat about birth control and a woman’s right to have autonomy over her own body. We want our boys to be armed with the knowledge and awareness to be respectful and engaged in and outside the bedroom. 

We as parents, especially in the Black community, must overcome our discomfort with having conversations about sex, birth control and abortion for the health of the next generation. Planned Parenthood of Illinois can help navigate those tricky waters. 

 

For more information about Planned Parenthood or to schedule a sexual health appointment visit www.plannedparenthood.org


Donna Miller is the County Board Commissioner, 6th District and a member of the Planned Parenthood of Illinois Board of Directors.

Tags: Abortion, Sex Ed, Contraception, sex education, birth control, contraceptives


error rendering https://twitter.com/PPIAction

Explore more on

Latest Blog Posts

View All

Stay Woke: Black History Month is as much about NOW as THEN

Some years, during Black History Month, I am laden with the heavy feeling that it is much too dangerous to look away from today, to look back. I hear: Take a peek, maybe, but please - Black Man, Black Woman, Black Person, Black Child - do not stay here for long.

I cannot stay here because the work of the ancestors is not done, and we must keep watch.

Feb. 8, 2023

Is Abortion Legal in Illinois?

Planned Parenthood of Illinois’ doors will stay open – no matter what. We will continue to support our patients and ensure they get the care they need when they need it, so they have the power to control their own future and destiny.

May 23, 2022

Transgender athletes deserve to be respected and included

This year, as more and more states across the country are voting on bans against transgender athletes, it’s more important than ever to take a stand. These bans specifically target transgender girls and women, and are quickly becoming an excuse for people to push transphobic rhetoric. Queer athletes deserve to compete without being subject to homophobia and/or transphobia. And schools have a responsibility to ensure that queer youth have the same access to sports as their peers.

 

March 31, 2022
Español

This website uses cookies

Planned Parenthood cares about your data privacy. We and our third-party vendors use cookies and other tools to collect, store, monitor, and analyze information about your interaction with our site to improve performance, analyze your use of our sites and assist in our marketing efforts. You may opt out of the use of these cookies and other tools at any time by visiting Cookie Settings. By clicking “Allow All Cookies” you consent to our collection and use of such data, and our Terms of Use. For more information, see our Privacy Notice.

Cookie Settings

Planned Parenthood cares about your data privacy. We and our third-party vendors, use cookies, pixels, and other tracking technologies to collect, store, monitor, and process certain information about you when you access and use our services, read our emails, or otherwise engage with us. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences, or your device. We use that information to make the site work, analyze performance and traffic on our website, to provide a more personalized web experience, and assist in our marketing efforts. We also share information with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners. You can change your default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of required cookies when utilizing our site; this includes necessary cookies that help our site to function (such as remembering your cookie preference settings). For more information, please see our Privacy Notice.

Marketing

On

We use online advertising to promote our mission and help constituents find our services. Marketing pixels help us measure the success of our campaigns.

Performance

On

We use qualitative data, including session replay, to learn about your user experience and improve our products and services.

Analytics

On

We use web analytics to help us understand user engagement with our website, trends, and overall reach of our products.