One of the most confusing points conservatives make regarding women’s rights in The United States is the one of cost. The idea that it is too costly to make birth control easily accessible or free is convoluted. A responsible woman who knows using protection is a better alternative to unwanted pregnancy should be denied birth control just because she can’t afford it?
Sex is a natural part of being human. By their 19th birthday, seven in ten female and male teens have had intercourse. Being responsible enough to know that you are not prepared to have a child and taking measures to prevent pregnancy should be viewed as a responsible line of thinking. The idea is that providing the precautionary tools to prevent these pregnancies should be worth the money spent. The alternative could be much more costly.
Denying a woman access to birth control and making abortion illegal would result in women being forced to have babies. These subsequent births could result in years of financial assistance provided by the government and risk of neglected or displaced children. Years of government assistance and/or children being placed in the custody of child services (thus making the financial responsibility of the government) would prove far more costly than providing birth control to women.
The idea that providing birth control to women is too costly seems ridiculous considering the current alternatives in place. Providing access to birth control and funding to organizations like Planned Parenthood promotes responsibility and healthy sexual behavior. It also cuts the cost of potential long-term support that result from the huge increase in unwanted pregnancies.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. – Benjamin Franklin.
Cakes McCain
/ April 10, 2012Bravo Teri!
Laura Roe Stevens
/ April 10, 2012Amen, sister!
lizziecracked
/ April 11, 2012Teri – this is very thought provoking and much needed – I am one who tends to ignore some things like this mostly because I get in a tizzy and feel helpless and .. helpless. Who is making the decisions and why? Surely not women.. it angers me that access to not only birth control but really proper healthcare.. is denied for the sake of what? hanging on to the false comfort that what they don;t know won;t hurt them? I have recently been made aware of what happens when something as simple as birth control is not made available … I have been recently educated in the ignorance of women – not by choice but by lack of knowledge to understand and demand that something as simple as birth control be part of their life. Smart women. There really are women having baby after baby because they think …that have no choice – that really can;t come up with the cost to pay their own bc – but dont understand the consequences of an unplanned unwanted pregnancy If it is a moral issue as some make it out to be, how can they defend the morality of a child being in foster care, being abused because it is only here because the mother had no options (that happens – sadly..) If I start, I will be posting on your post.
Before I go though – here where I live – I have no idea if it is a nation wide cutback – the public assistance healthcare has stopped paying for not only birth control but annual exams, pap smears and mammograms. But if you go into the er with a complaint of say… a sore back, they will do an MRI paid for by the same public assistance Insurance… suspicious in that if you go in with a sore back with no insurance at all, you may get an xray IF they think it may be something more serious..and only after you have been looked at and second opinion…. but an MRI…which is ordered in the triage with insurance… that makes a cash pay ER bare bones visit with usually a quick look and some pain meds to get you through a couple days at $500 ish into a $15,000 night at the ER. I have seen it first hand but somehow they decided the best way to save money is to cut preventative medicine for women WTF. Where is the reasoning in that? How did they come up with the numbers that mammograms are not effective – pap smears? how else do they propose to find it and when will it hit them like the brick it is…when women start flooding the healthcare system with cancer that has gotten out of control because they missed a pap smear for lack of funds…..makes you think there are a bunch of misogynists in charge…or at least a bunch of chicken shits threatened by the thought that women are as good as they are and worth the consideration of proper preventative healthcare, Excellent post. Really.
trjensen
/ April 12, 2012Cutting pretentative measures is horrible. I think it is just another way to keep the poor and desperate just that. It limits access to so many of lifes opportunities and that is why many woimen remain ignorant. In a previous post someone commented that if men were the one biorthing our children the government would have very different rules regarding Planned Parenthood. I belive that is a legimate observation.
hurtorheal
/ April 11, 2012Reblogged this on Hurt Or Heal and commented:
Well said, the laws regarding this sort of thing never fail to amaze me. I read recently in student BMJ that in Texas a woman seeking abortion is forced to listen to foetal heart sounds and be talked through her ultrasound except in cases of incest and rape. Not only violating the free speech of the ultrasound technician but pressurising vulnerable women.
mysterycoach
/ April 11, 2012Yah. Birth control if I recall is … what? $30.00 bucks a month? Raising a child one is not prepared for, seeking financial assistance such as welfare, food stamps, etc., (no offense, we all need a little help sometimes) is SO MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE! AT least for the next 18 to … cough… idiots.
Groan.
elliebloo
/ April 11, 2012we can always turn to mandatory vasectomy. you think that might change their minds on the birth control issue? Hmmm worth a thought.
Jeanna
/ April 11, 2012yea I have no idea how they figure birth control is too expensive when what it costs for us to take care of those babys on medicaid, wic, and welfare is INSANITY!!! I am fairly certain the pills are cheaper.
bestbathroombooks
/ April 11, 2012Great post. I have a daughter and she knows to fight to the death for her rights.
benzeknees
/ April 11, 2012I totally agree with your pic – are we STILL fighting for these rights? If men had to have babies – birth control would certainly be free!
thefutureofhope
/ April 11, 2012It is amazing how birth control is too expensive BUT penis pumps and viagra types are still covered. It is also amazing that when some women senators and representatives in Georgia tried fighting back saying what is good for the goose is good for the gander, they were scoffed and shoved under the carpet.
Well said once again Teri!
WordsFallFromMyEyes
/ November 17, 2012EXCELLENT.
That picture of the woman – her placard – excellent too.
trjensen
/ November 18, 2012Thank you! I loved that picture too.
gildeddiva
/ December 12, 2012What a fantastic post! You have just made my day with this post, marvelous!
trjensen
/ December 12, 2012Thank you!
reocochran
/ May 16, 2013I will always feel that it is cheaper to hand out condoms, birth control and help those who are needing the counseling than to have too many unwanted pregnancies. Also, that if it were the MEN bearing the kids, there would be acceptance even of abortions. (I am okay with early term or the day after pills). Good thought provoking post and great variety of comments!
trjensen
/ May 17, 2013It would be an entirely different conversation if men carried children. I think abstinence only education is not benefiting anyone. It isn’t offering any way to deal with real world situations. That doesn’t teach them to deal with what the experience in society.
girlseule
/ May 20, 2013Well said! Sex is a normal part of life and abstinence never has been and never will be a realistic option for most people. What we need is good sex education and access to contraception and advice and support on sexual health.
trjensen
/ May 22, 2013The pressure of saying no amongst your peers or while fighting natural hormonal urges aren’t the same in the real world as they are role playing with your peer counsler or church group.