Utah’s One Thing: Katrina Barker, Planned Parenthood Utah

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Since we started our show in 2016, we have been asking our guests at the end of every New Utah interview, “What is the one thing that you would tell someone visiting Utah they had to do before leaving?”

Katrina Barker, the marketing and communications director for Planned Parenthood of Utah joined us for episode 158. Katrina told us that the one thing someone should do when visiting Utah is to go into the mountains. Go on a hike. She is an avid hiker. Katrina didn’t grow up around mountains and when she moved here she missed the trees back east, but now she can’t fathom not living in Utah. Katrina said Utah has quirks and some frustrating things, so if she could clean the air and kick out 70% of legislation… that would be perfect.

One of our favorite apps for hiking is Alltrails!

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Music by Folk Hogan, Bootleggers Dance

Episode 158 Giving Women Choices

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It’s June again and the juggling pirate is back. Jessica talks about how over-crowded Pride was on Saturday, Bre has an unfortunate sunburn, Chris replaced his destroyed cucumber plants, and Jeremy complains that we can’t be adults in Utah and order cigars from out of state.

We’re excited that there is a stay for reducing the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante.  We can only hope that the folks who want to help mine the resources from the area are voted out before this is out of the courts and the reduction decision will be reversed.  Also, our poor farmers are really getting hurt by the tariffs Trump is threatening and we will start seeing a rise in products any minute now! Tariff = Tax.

We were really excited for this episode because we get to speak with Katrina Barker with Planned Parenthood of Utah.  Katrina is the Communications and Marketing Manager and took time out of her busy schedule to talk to us about all the wonderful things PP does for this state and across the country.  She was born in Utah but grew up on Ohio and returned to Utah to attend BYU on a full scholarship. We’re lucky because even though Katrina went to school here, she left again but came back to stay!  She has been with PP for three years and is passionate about their mission.

Of all the services Planned Parenthood provides, abortion is only 1-2% of that.  The organization is really set on keeping our populace healthy by providing affordable healthcare options such birth control, STI/STD testing and treatment, pelvic exams, cervical cancer screenings, vasectomies, etcetera.  In Katrina’s words, Planned Parenthood wants you to be your “best healthy self in all your reproductive choices.”

There are eight Planned Parenthood clinics in Utah and only one performs abortions (there are only two abortion clinics in Utah and they are both in Salt Lake).  It is a dedicated space with highly trained professionals who will work with you as you try to navigate Utah’s strange laws while you are making a stressful life decision.  The clinic is private and discrete. Planned Parenthood receives referrals from other facilities when something has gone wrong with the pregnancy and it is unhealthy to let the pregnancy continue.

In Utah, it is against the law for any state agency to provide birth control to minors without parental consent and because Planned Parenthood is not a state agency and are a Title X organization.  Title X is the National Family Planning Program and is funded by the federal government. Title X reproductive healthcare providers are funded in order to help with family planning. Planned Parenthood of Utah is the only Title X reproductive healthcare provider in Utah.  Under Title X, Planned Parenthood is required to provide contraceptives to teenagers if they request it, with or without parental consent. As much as parents may want to deny it, teenagers have sex and STI/STD rates are rising among their populace. When kids are taught sex education, statistics show they usually delay sexual activity.  Remember folks: Sex education does not teach you how to have sex, it just teaches you how to be safe and how to be prepared.

As we discussed sex education with Katrina, she reminded us that CONSENT EDUCATION is just as important and yet another service that Planned Parenthood provides.  Along with consent they are taught about health relationships. Planned Parenthood has been approved as the sex education providers in some school districts.

In addition, Planned Parenthood of Utah has a program called Teen Council.  High school students in 10th-12th grade, apply and are trained to be a peer sex educator.  They teach classes and can be a great resource for the questions and concerns of their peers without stigma or fear of being judged by an adult.

We contacted Katrina six months ago to be on the show but she was in the middle of the preparing for, and then working through, our 45 day legislative session.  Utah is one of many conservative states trying to pass really constrictive abortion laws in order to bring a case before the Supreme Court to attempt to overturn Roe v Wade while we it is majority conservative.  We learned about TRAP laws. What is a TRAP law you say? They are Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers. Basically laws that are slowly chipping away at the abortion laws that decrease access to abortion. Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit to block the new Utah law as being unconstitutional.  Katrina goes over the requirements Utah already has in place before a person can get an abortion in Utah. A study done by California on our Utah laws found out that the waiting period and education does stop a person from getting an abortion.

Planned Parenthood can help those without insurance but they also take insurance.  They provide professional, compassionate and non-judgmental care. You can often get in to see a healthcare professional faster than your regular OB/GYN or primary care physician.  To find out what services Planned Parenthood provides or to get answers to your questions, go to https://www.plannedparenthood.org/ or (800) 230-PLAN.  You can also find your local Planned Parenthood and make an appointment but they accept walk-ins!  There are many ways to volunteer for Planned Parenthood, including help with lobbying and supporting pro-Planned Parenthood candidates.

You can follow Planned Parenthood Action Council of Utah on their Facebook and Instagram.

We will ALWAYS love your “likes” BUT don’t forget to click that little SHARE button (or retweet) *sharing IS indeed caring* You can find us and subscribe on Soundcloud, Spotify, Stitcher, or Itunes, and Google Play and TuneIN. Leave us a review and Follow us on the Twitter @tnupodcast, Instagram @Tnupodcast, or on Facebook The New Utah Podcast

Music By: Folk Hogan. Bootleggers Dance.

Episode 64 Kate Kelly is not her struggle…

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You’re not your struggle. You can engage but you are a separate person.” –Kate Kelly

This week we were joined by attorney, activist, feminist, and all around phenomenal person; Kate Kelly.

You may know her as the former head and creator of Ordain Women who was violently ex-communicated from the LDS (Mormon) church. BUT we wanted to delve deeper because frankly she’s talked that subject to death and she has SO much more to say. We had an opportunity to talk to her about her upcoming law firm she will be opening(G.I.R.L.), her wiki page, her continued work on a book about slave breeding and how it shaped our country, her definition of being a feminist, and we got pretty passionate about Planned Parenthood with her. Excuse the emotions.  Kate has so much on her plate and her passion runs deep. And if the politics of it all are too much, you  may just love someone who loves mid-century modern, she’s fun to follow!

Oh! And we’re all in agreement that Orrin Hatch will be dying in office. Wah-wah…

You can follow her and get involved through her Twitter , her Instagram, or her Facebook. You can also find her at http://www.katekellyesq.com/

We will ALWAYS love your “likes” BUT don’t forget to click that little SHARE button (or retweet) *sharing IS indeed caring* You can find us and subscribe on Soundcloud, Stitcher, or Itunes, and Google Play and TuneIN. Follow us on the Twitter @tnupodcast or on Facebook The New Utah Podcast

LISTEN HERE: The New Utah Podcast

Music by local Utah Band: Bootleggers Dance by Folk Hogan