Birth control is a major issue in today’s society and is something that all
women should be informed about. Unfortunately, there are many women
who currently have little knowledge or awareness when it comes to birth
control, or have not employed the use of some type of birth control when
they engage in sexual activity with their partners.
This is sad because we live in a country where we have access to nearly
unlimited materials to inform us when making our decisions. This access to
such a valuable resource truly enables us to be responsible about protecting
ourselves from an unplanned pregnancy, and the potentially extreme life
changes and tough decisions that follow.
Our society has come a long way, and women have fought for years for
the right to use contraception, or to decide whether they want to even have
sex in the first place. In my mind, if you are not taking advantage of the
reproductive health care made available such as counseling, group education
and advocacy services, then you’re not being responsible with your life or
the life of your potential offspring.
I attended “The History of Birth Control” seminar presented by the “What
Do You Know?” lecture series. The speakers were Sherrie Bernat and Diane
Mulcahy, nurse practitioners at Weigel Health Center.
Both Bernat and Mulcahy mapped out early struggles of the countless
setbacks and failed attempts in the legalization of birth control, beginning
in 1914 with the widespread social reform in the United States. There were
many politicians and citizens who claimed women didn’t have the right to
“control” their own bodies or use sex as a pleasurable act.
One of the most influential protectors of women’s rights was Margaret
Sanger, who founded Planned Parenthood. Her message that a woman
should be “the absolute mistress of her own body” will remain at the
forefront of this ongoing struggle.
Overall, it made me realize that, as women and men alike, we are incredibly
lucky to live in an era where we have more control over our lives and can
shape our futures by deciding how, when, or if we want to raise children.
There are over 120 types of birth control that currently exist in our country.
The progress we have made in the availability of birth control is staggering,
but still, adolescent pregnancy, birthrates and abortion rates in Europe are
lower than those of the United States.
What doesn’t make sense to me is how we’ve fallen behind in such a
seemingly basic ideology. Other countries might have more open societal
views toward sexuality and sexually active teens. Among those countries,
France, Germany, and the Netherlands have a much more sophisticated
philosophy when it comes to dealing with unplanned pregnancy.
They have collectively signed a contract stating: “We’ll respect your right
to act responsibly and give you the tools you need to avoid unintended
pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.”
Still, there are over 200 million women in the world engaging in unprotected
sex. Some of the excuses from women or men for not using birth control are,
“I don’t know what kinds they have,” or “I can’t ask the doctor in front of
my mother or father! How embarrassing!” And then there’s, “I didn’t know
that taking antibiotics interferes with the effectiveness of birth control”, or
the classic, “We only had sex once, I can’t get pregnant.”
None of these excuses are applicable in my opinion. I might be
going “parental” in my next comments, but you are in college – be mature
with your decisions and take responsibility to inform yourself.
To those who put it off and don’t take it seriously, you are leaving your
future and the future of your partner at risk. Having control over my body
and right to choose is crucial, and I will continue to inform those who are
misinformed.
Just be proactive, visit the Weigel Health Center for some free condoms and
speak with the nurses to better inform you about your choices when it comes
to having sex.
Rachel Sandle can be reached by email at sandle.record@live.com.