CUNY partners with Planned Parenthood in pro-abortion research

The City University of New York (CUNY) is partnering with Planned Parenthood to facilitate research on “reproductive justice,” the progressive code-word for abortion rights. 

The Joan Malin Reproductive Justice Fellowship will give one student at CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy a full-tuition scholarship and a fully-funded internship at a local Planned Parenthood office if the student agrees to work on various “sexual and reproductive justice” tasks. 

The fellowship aims to develop the student’s “theoretical knowledge and practical skills in applying a sexual and reproductive justice (SRJ) lens to address disparities in sexual and reproductive health in New York City,” according to its application. 

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Matt Lamb, spokesman for Students for Life—the largest organization of pro-life college students in the United States—told Campus Reform that the fellowship’s focus on promoting “reproductive justice” is highly misleading.

”Justice is supposed to mean the equal treatment of all people; yet reproductive justice is nothing more than a code word for abortion, which says that we can end the life of a preborn child without regard to its rights,” Lamb explained. 

“This is why reproductive justice is such as misleading term—people want to believe they are supporting justice, but when justice means the deliberate killing of preborn babies, it is not really just,” he added.

[RELATED: GW Dems use student gov funds for Planned Parenthood fundraiser]

The fellowship is offered through CUNY’s Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. Barbara Aaron, the school’s spokeswoman, said the fellowship aligns with the school’s commitment to facilitating reproductive health care access. 

“As one of the leading sexual and reproductive health care providers in the city, Planned Parenthood of NYC approached the school to propose this fellowship for this reason,” Aaron told Campus Reform. 

When asked about the political nature of the fellowship, especially considering Planned Parenthood’s focus on abortion services, Aaron explained that the school agreed to partner with Planned Parenthood because it offers a “full-range of essential sexual and reproductive care to all who seek it.” 

[RELATED: UNM no longer hiring abortionist after student outcry]

Adrienne Vermilli, the spokeswoman of Planned Parenthood of NYC, agreed, saying that the fellowship will give CUNY students “the opportunity to gain relevant experience from PPNYC’s sexual and reproductive care to all people who walk through our doors.” 

Though this fellowship is a unique opportunity, CUNY is one of a few universities that have recently partnered with Planned Parenthood. The University of Arizona-Tuscon, for example, encourages students to fundraise for the organization, and Planned Parenthood sponsored an educational “Sex Week” at UNC-Charlotte. 

Applications for the Joan Malin Fellowship at CUNY closed last week, and a recipient will be chosen by the start of the next academic year. 

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @Toni_Airaksinen