This Hashtag Shows The Amazing Ways Planned Parenthood Has Affected People’s Lives

On October 16, 1916, Margaret Sanger opened the first birth control clinic in the U.S. in Brooklyn, NY. The clinic was discovered and shut down by police, and Sanger was sent to jail for 30 days for breaking the "Comstock Law" (which forbade the discussion and distribution of birth control). Nevertheless, her work led to what is now known as Planned Parenthood. On Sunday, Planned Parenthood will celebrate 100 years of providing accessible reproductive health care to those who need it. Since Sanger's days, the organization has been offering not only birth control, but also important health examinations and affordable care for those who may not be able to access it elsewhere. Despite efforts to end Planned Parenthood's work, the organization has continued to play a key role in this year's election, and rightfully so. We may need Planned Parenthood now more than ever — to provide our generation with essential care. And as the organization's president, Cecile Richards, said in TIME magazine today, "we're just getting started." In honor of 100 years of Planned Parenthood, people are tweeting #100YearsStrong to share stories of how the organization helped change their lives and provided support when they needed it. Read their stories below and share your own on Twitter with #100YearsStrong.