Anti-choice advocates have been traditionally been focused on controlling what comes out of a person’s body (an embryo), but they’re currently broadening their horizons and getting all shook up about what goes in. And it’s not even about penises this time — it’s about ice cream.
What’s the Scoop?— a punny ice cream shop in the liberal (read: whorish) hotbed of Portland, Oregon — has come under fire for teaming up with Planned Parenthood on a flavor of ice cream called “Rose City Revolution” (honey vanilla with rose petals) and donating 50% of the flavor’s sales to the women’s health organization.
What’s the Scoop? routinely partners with charities, often donating up to 10% of their total profits to rotating organizations. This past week was actually the second time that the store has benefitted Planned Parenthood, but the first time went mostly under the radar. This go around, however, the partnership was reported on by anti-abortion blog LifeNews, prompting a slew of criticisms and threats via Twitter, Facebook and the phone.
“We’re still wrapping our minds around the reactions,” shop owner Jodie Ostrovsky tells Eater Portland of the “very disturbing” messages that What’s the Scoop? has received.
Thankfully, Ostrovsky is not letting the harassment sway her from supporting Planned Parenthood.
“Planned Parenthood is an amazing organization that does so much to help women have access to affordable healthcare,” she says. “The fact that some people only focus on what is such an infinitesimal part of the service they provide is confusing to me.”
The local community seems to be siding with her:
“Conversely, we have received a wonderful outpouring of support from our ice cream community as well as the general public,” she tells Eater. “I get a little nervous when the phone rings, but the last few calls have been very positive and the tide on Facebook is beginning to shift.”
Currently, What the Scoop? is donating a portion of their proceeds to Cystic Fibrosis.
Image via Shutterstock.