(AllHipHop News) Kanye West got a lesson in birth control after he appeared to equate Plan B One-Stop, an emergency contraceptive pill, with the abortion pill.
In an interview with radio DJ Big Boy last Friday the Jesus Is King rapper denounced the Democratic Party and claimed that African Americans have historically been “brainwashed” into supporting the Democrats who have been instrumental in “taking the fathers out the homes, Plan B, lowering our votes, making us abort our children.”
However, the rapper’s outburst led to criticism that he was confusing Plan B One-Stop — an emergency contraception that helps prevent pregnancy — with medication that can abort an unwanted pregnancy.
On Wednesday, a spokesperson for Foundation Consumer Healthcare (FCH), the pharmaceutical firm that makes Plan B, responded to West’s comments, telling TMZ: “Plan B emergency contraception is a safe and effective backup option when used as directed after unprotected sex or birth control failure.
“Plan B helps prevent pregnancy before it starts by delaying ovulation. Plan B is not an abortion pill — it will not harm an existing pregnancy and it will not be effective if a woman is already pregnant.”
The company website also makes it clear the drug cannot be used to treat unwanted pregnancies.
Planned Parenthood also weighed in on the comments from the Jesus Walks rapper, with a spokesperson highlighting black women’s roles in advocating for abortion rights in the U.S. and better reproductive health care.
“As black women, we make our own decisions about our bodies and pregnancies, and want and deserve to have access to the best medical care available,” the spokesperson told TMZ. “Misinformation like this is meant to shame us and keep us from making our own health care decisions. Black women want and deserve support and access to the full range of reproductive health care, but this persistent lie is threatening our ability to obtain it.”
West has not clarified his position since the interview went viral.