FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
CONTACT: Brittany Shankle
434-996-0951 / foodnotcondoms@gmail.com

 

 

Mary Washington students hold 'Food Not Condoms' demonstration to protest unjust contraceptive policies

 

FREDERICKSBURG , VA – "Last year International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) dispensed 103.4 million condoms to starving people.  The problem is, you can't eat condoms," said Brittany Shankle, a senior at the University of Mary Washington who is coordinating the event. "Students at Mary Washington University are taking part in a demonstration called Food Not Condoms, which insists that the selfish policies of sending condoms to places where people are starving to death must come to an end." 

Today, Tuesday, April 17, students will share in a free meal composed of rice, beans and tortillas - the staple diet for most of the world. According to the fliers distributed at the event. "On the American market this meal would cost only 25 cents. With the average cost of a condom at 50 cents, IPPF could feed 206.8 million starving people in a year instead of distributing 103.4 million condoms. 

"The name of the event says it all," said Shankle, "We want to raise awareness of the fact that people in Africa, Honduras, and other parts of the world are starving while organizations and governments are shipping millions of dollars worth of condoms every year instead of food or aid. Food Not Condoms is their wakeup call."

Shankle wants her fellow students to realize that the policies of the American government, the UN, and private organizations such as IPPF of sending condoms to starving people are not only ineffective, but selfish too. "By claiming overpopulation as the problem, these organizations are telling African and South American people that if they didn't exist, starvation wouldn't be a problem," said Shankle. "In essence, these policies are prejudiced against minorities and impoverished people."  

The Food Not Condoms event is aimed at highlighting social injustices, and, Shankle hopes, enlightening people to the true root problem of world hunger: selfishness.   "Starvation and disease will persist as long as we continue to apply a 'band-aid' of contraception to this gaping wound," said Shankle. "Our community needs to understand that contraception is not the cure."

Food Not Condoms is sponsored by the college group Project Plus, an organization dedicated to revealing the truth about contraception to their college peers. Project Plus can be reached at their web site, www.theprojectplus.com, or via e-mail at projectplusinfo@gmail.com. 

We were mentioned in the weekly STOPP report put out by Stop Planned Parenthood:

 
College students protest International Planned Parenthood’s actions

Yesterday, students at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia participated in a peaceful demonstration called “Food Not Condoms” to protest the contraception International Planned Parenthood pushes on impoverished nations.

"Last year International Planned Parenthood Federation dispensed 103.4 million condoms to starving people. The problem is, you can't eat condoms," said Brittany Shankle, a senior at the University of Mary Washington who coordinated the event.
 

Students who gathered at the demonstration shared a meal of rice, beans and a tortilla. According to Shankle, “On the American market this meal would cost only 25 cents. With the average cost of a condom at 50 cents, IPPF could feed 206.8 million starving people in a year instead of distributing those condoms.”

She went on to say, "By claiming overpopulation as the problem, these organizations are telling African and South American people that if they didn't exist, starvation wouldn't be a problem. In essence, these policies are prejudiced against minorities and impoverished people."  

Food Not Condoms is an event sponsored by Project Plus, one of American Life League’s associate groups. Project Plus is an organization dedicated to revealing the truth about contraception to their college peers.

We congratulate the students of the University of Mary Washington for making a public statement against the unjust policies of International Planned Parenthood and encourage our readers to be active voices against PP at their own campuses and communities.

We were also mentioned here:  NRFC blog