Lest her calm, cool, and collected 60 Minutes interview give the wrong impression, it’s important for us to remember that Stormy Daniels is in no position to establish herself as a role model for women and young girls.
Having received some backlash for accepting what has been characterized as hush money, Daniels is now trying to emphasize her selfless and philanthropic nature by donating the cash. She could have chosen to donate to any charity — perhaps an organization that helps sex trafficking victims or victims of assault and violence. Instead, she has chosen that $130,000 will be going to the bank account of Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion vendor who has been caught on tape aiding sex traffickers — and then training employees on how to not say incriminating things on camera to undercover journalists.
This reeks of another expensive public relations campaign by Planned Parenthood to get their name in the press and attach themselves to a national story that isn’t going away anytime soon.
It’s their MO. The Women’s March was shaping up to be huge in 2017, so Planned Parenthood decided to sponsor it and ultimately became a key player in the movement. The March for Lives was a huge national story dealing with gun violence; Planned Parenthood tweeted out their support (and subsequently got slammed for their hypocrisy). The immigration debate - why not? The non-profit supports illegal immigration because they sell more abortions that way.
It’s not much of a surprise that Stormy Daniels is on the Planned Parenthood train and vice versa. Daniels was a “successful” star in pornography and is continuing her run next week with a cover shot on Penthouse along with a nude photoshoot. This is the kind of modern day feminism Planned Parenthood loves, where women shed their dignity and damage their souls in exchange for money and power.
The connection between the porn industry, sex traffickers, and Planned Parenthood is well documented. Porn is often used to groom sex trafficking victims so they can learn what they are expected to do. When sex trafficked victims become pregnant as a result of their abuse, they are often coerced into having abortions. Planned Parenthood has been caught on film helping pimps obtain abortions for their victims, including minors. The only thing done to fix the situation after it was made public was train employees not on how to identify victims of sex trafficking but rather how to avoid making incriminating statements.
In addition, promoting pornography is not a new concept for Planned Parenthood. In other undercover videos by Live Action, Planned Parenthood staff teaches teenagers how to access pornography and experiment with whips, chains, and choking, all while hiding it from their parents.
Pornography, particularly today’s ubiquitous, violent version, is anything but harmless. Studies have found it can adversely affect the brain, create problems in one’s sex life, become addictive and break apart families, negatively warp views on relationships, and is linked to prostitution and sex trafficking.
The thing is, Planned Parenthood doesn’t even need Stormy Daniels’ money. In 2016, they had excess revenue of $98.5 million. The same year, they also spent an astounding $38 million trying to elect Hillary Clinton and other Democrats. And they recently announced they plan to spend at least $20 million in this year’s midterm elections.
Stormy Daniels and Planned Parenthood have much in common, but the most insidious is the lie (straight of out the pit of Hell) to young women that a life of sexual promiscuity is glamorous and freeing. Their glossy promotion of pornography casts women as objects devoid of worth beyond their use for the sexual pleasure of men. They divorce body and soul. And they profit from human misery.
Feminist Naomi Wolfe said, “The Victorian woman became her ovaries, as today’s woman has become her ‘beauty.’” There is nothing remotely feminist in the arrangement of sex for money. Those who promote “sex work” as a valid career choice for women, (ahem, the Women’s March) are guilty of shameful devaluation of women.
It’s time that we were honest about the porn industry. Linda Lovelace, perhaps the most famous porn actress in history, tells the true story of abuse and manipulation at the hands of men who profited from her. Her story is not unique. Men and women must be disabused of the idea that the smiling faces being violated on camera will walk away whole when the bright lights are off.
Stormy Daniels believes she has been wronged, and maybe that’s true. I would simply ask her not to hurt others as she seeks whatever it is she needs to feel vindicated. Continuing to perpetuate the lie that abortion and porn are just another choice harms young women. Money is clearly her love language. I would recommend she choose other ways to spend it.