Planned Parenthood Awards Journalists for ‘Exceptional Coverage’
Kate Scanlon /
Planned Parenthood has announced the 2015 recipients of the Maggie Awards, given to recognize journalists, writers, activists, and social media innovators for their coverage of “reproductive rights, social justice, and women’s health care issues.”
According to Planned Parenthood’s website, the Maggie Awards, named for the organization’s founder Margaret Sanger, “recognize exceptional contributions by the media and arts and entertainment industries that enhance the public’s understanding of reproductive rights and health care issues, including contraception, sex education, teen pregnancy, abortion, and international family planning.”
“We are thrilled to honor this select group of fearless journalists and activists for their always honest, brave, and accurate reporting on sexual and reproductive health,” Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement.
“These are the stories that empower and educate—the stories of women, communities of color, members of the LGBT community—and it is incredibly important that these stories are told and amplified over the next year. There is just too much at stake to stay quiet.”
Tonight we’re comin’ atcha live from PPFA’s #MaggieAwards, celebrating exceptional contributions by the media on sexual & #reprohealth
— Planned Parenthood (@PPFA) August 18, 2015
Prior to Planned Parenthood’s statement, the Media Research Center’s Katie Yoder compiled a list of Maggie Awards recipients using Twitter.
16 Journalists Accept Planned Parenthood Awards – Despite Horrifying Abortion Videos! http://t.co/HIT1g5icEb — MediaResearchCenter (@theMRC) August 20, 2015
“While the media stay away from the recent videos exposing Planned Parenthood’s trafficking of aborted baby parts, they are drawn to Planned Parenthood’s annual media awards ceremony,” Yoder wrote.
Recipients of the 2015 Maggie Awards are listed below.
Excellence in Commentary: Jamilah Lemieux, Ebony.com
.@JamilahLemieux elevates tht Margaret Sanger’s legacy is complex, but we can’t hinge the next 100 years on 1 woman who’s dead #MaggieAwards
— PP Black Community (@PPBlackComm) August 18, 2015
Outstanding Individual Commentary: Valerie Tarico, Salon
WhooHoo! @ValerieTarico is honored for her piece combating abortion stigma on @Salon. http://t.co/3rC49MuwgW #MaggieAwards
— Planned Parenthood (@PPFA) August 18, 2015
TV & Online Reporting: Jill Filipovic, Cosmopolitan.com
Yay for the @PPFA #MaggieAwards! So pleased & honored to be among so many talented writers. http://t.co/Ft0JmYlBjF
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) August 19, 2015
Online Reporting: Jennifer Gerson Uffalussy, Yahoo! Health
Pinching myself to be included among so many writers I admire including @JamilahLemieux @feministabulous @FazeelatAslam at the #MaggieAwards
— Jen Gerson Uffalussy (@jennyalyse) August 18, 2015
Online Health Reporting: Casey Gueren, Buzzfeed
Props to @CaseyGueren! Her #MaggieAwards is for her engaging work on sexual & #reprohealth with @BuzzFeed.
— Planned Parenthood (@PPFA) August 18, 2015
So incredibly grateful to be honored by @PPFA at the #MaggieAwards Thank you @ppglobe and @CecileRichards
— Casey Gueren (@CaseyGueren) August 19, 2015
Online Political Reporting: Aura Bogado, Colorlines
Hey loves, so happy to make this announcement: I’m thrilled to be honored at @PPFA‘s #MaggieAwards for Media Excellence!
— Aura Bogado (@aurabogado) August 18, 2015
Online Documentary: Fazeelat Aslam, VICE.com
Online Documentary award goes to @FazeelatAslam for her important work on “crisis pregnancy centers” for @vicenews #MaggieAwards
— Planned Parenthood (@Latinos4PP) August 18, 2015
Online Video Series: Liz Plank, Mic
Congrats to all of the amazing people at @micnews who helped us win a #Maggie award for #FlipTheScript! http://t.co/jSzhCX23B3
— Elizabeth Plank (@feministabulous) August 19, 2015
Women’s Magazine: Laurie Abraham and Leah Chernikoff, ELLE magazine and ELLE.com
Thank you @PPFA – We are so honored to receive a #MaggieAwards tonight!
— ELLE Magazine (US) (@ELLEmagazine) August 19, 2015
.@LeahChernikoff’s honest and powerful “I Had an Abortion” series for @ELLEmagazine also gets a #MaggieAwards! http://t.co/QRaxgaL8SQ
— Planned Parenthood (@PPFA) August 18, 2015
Men’s Magazine: John H. Richardson, Esquire
#PlannedParenthood‘s #MaggieAwards honors @jhr4, for his must-read piece in @esquire on Dr. Willie Parker. http://t.co/tjGk4RDVsU
— PP Black Community (@PPBlackComm) August 18, 2015
Youth Media: Phillip Picardi, TeenVogue.com
Welcome to the happiest and proudest night of my career so far, receiving a #Maggie Award on behalf… https://t.co/1L2YoH4WZ0
— Phillip Picardi (@pfpicardi) August 19, 2015
Social Media Campaign: Wagatwe Wanjuki, #SurvivorPrivilege
Proud to be a #MaggieAwards recipient and stand with @planned parenthood during a time whe… http://t.co/t1KNpjSeML pic.twitter.com/60qdYuJKcx
— Wagatwe Wanjuki (@wagatwe) August 18, 2015
Media Activist: Sadie Hernandez, The People’s Veto
@sadieeehdz giving a S/O to everyone that stood up & supported her protest in TX, like #Raiz vols! #MaggieAwards pic.twitter.com/sE2bS2iVPn
— Planned Parenthood (@Latinos4PP) August 18, 2015
Global: Jonny von Wallström and Cleo Kambugu, “The Pearl of Africa”
OMG we just won the first ever global Maggie #maggieawards Planned Parenthood http://t.co/y34Hv5mmcc
— The Pearl Of Africa (@pearlofafricatv) August 18, 2015
Excellence in Media: The Nation
@KathaPollitt and @thenation wrap up our show, accepting #MaggieAwards for Excellence in Media. Thank you, and congratulations!
— Planned Parenthood (@PPFA) August 18, 2015
On Twitter, many users questioned the ethics of a journalist’s accepting an award from an organization he or she covers.
Check out the award-winning media water-carriers for Planned Butcherhood ==> https://t.co/QLnqungpTo
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) August 20, 2015
Re: Planned Parenthood media awards: Would these journos/entertainers (who knows anymore?) be OK will NRA rewarding 2nd Amendment coverage?
— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) August 20, 2015
I’m a fan of BuzzFeed but I am baffled why they would let themselves be compromised like this. https://t.co/kNkyMtRmWQ
— Jimmy (@JimmyPrinceton) August 20, 2015
@SethAMandel @seanmdav #MaggieAwards? Are they serious? What a dubious “honor” for their resumes. Repulsive. #PPSellsBabyParts
— Guy Broman (@TheRealRayBatts) August 20, 2015
You can’t make this stuff up-on day video showing barbaric #HeartStillBeating Planned Parenthood hosts #MaggieAwards. No wonder media silent
— deb4liberty (@deb4liberty) August 20, 2015
Congrats to all the journos who accepted an award named after a White Supremacist http://t.co/EJQFJOBX3S
— F. Bill McMorris (@FBillMcMorris) August 20, 2015
This is what you’re up against https://t.co/CL42AEOQQn
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) August 20, 2015
@redsteeze “journalists”
— Seth (@dcseth) August 20, 2015
Very damaging Planned Parenthood videos released. PP hires firm to discourage media from talking about them. Media who listened get awards.
— Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) August 20, 2015