Shonda Rhimes is diving further into the fray of politics.
The creator of Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away with Murder is joining Planned Parenthood”s national board. During the 2016 presidential election, she and her stars publicly backed Hillary Clinton.
Elle, which broke the story on her new role, calls Planned Parenthood “one of the most trusted health care providers in America.” The mag reports that President Cecile Richards invited her on board.
“The fact is that women’s health is under fire right now,” Rhimes told the interviewer. “And so to me, it feels like it’s important to help fight back.”
In January, President Trump signed an executive order that would ban federal funds from reaching international organizations that reportedly promote abortions. International Planned Parenthood fell under this purview. Trump has commended the organization for services that do not include abortion. Reports emerged Thursday that Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, met with Richards after Trump’s inauguration.
Rhimes weighed in when Trump’s Access Hollywood “grab women by the pussy” scandal erupted.
The TV show creator said she never had to go to a Planned Parenthood, but has friends who have used their services.
“The fact that I’ve never had to use a Planned Parenthood, the fact that I’ve never been in need of medical services I couldn’t afford or didn’t have access to, doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be concerned about the fact that other women don’t have that access,” she said.
Rhimes said men shouldn’t be discarding Planned Parenthood as “just a women’s issue” since they don’t have female organs.
“Most people, I think, have accepted that it’s not up to them to control other people’s choices, except, it seems, when it comes to Washington, D.C., where everyone has an opinion about people’s uteruses,” she said.
There are medical aspects to the shows Rhimes as created.
She says she reads studies for Grey’s Anatomy.
But during the 2015 season finale of Scandal, things got intense when Kerry Washington‘s character Olivia Pope had a graphic abortion accompanied by the Christmas ballad Silent Night. Meanwhile, first lady Mellie Grant filibustered for Planned Parenthood.
This means Rhimes has some experience.