Thursday, March 15, 2012

Women's Rights of My Time

This has nothing to do with art, but sometimes you have to make your voice heard.
My boyfriend's parents watch The O'Reilly Factor (I am not a fan) and they were telling me about how he had mentioned on his show that birth control had no health benefits for women. He had mentioned though, Viagra and how it helps men with ED. In protest to this claim, I decided to send him an email and it reads as follows:

"Dear Mr O'Reilly,

Being a woman who is currently on birth control, I am quite annoyed that the benefits of contraceptives have not been addressed. I suffer from PCOS (or polycystic ovary syndrome) as well as endometriosis. The Mayo Clinic actually recommends for treatment of both conditions the use of hormonal birth control as a way to balance out hormones, reduce the risk of cancer, eliminate pain associated with these conditions, and help ovulation (both conditions can make it extremely difficult to become pregnant). To put all women in the category of immorality, or to assume that birth control has no health benefit to women, is wrong."
Link
While I realize it is a little personal to air my health conditions in public, I do not believe in the government trying to control my ability to access this vital resource. Arizona, my home state, is currently trying to pass a law that requires women to prove to their employer that they need contraceptives for conditions and reasons unrelated to sex or abortion. Honestly my boss doesn't need to know about my sex life (or lack thereof. Again, it's none of their business either way) and I shouldn't have to justify my need for this medication. No woman should.
I want kids. I want to be a mother and have a family. My use of birth control does not mean that I am for abortion, nor does it mean I am against it. What it means is that I am making responsible decisions that will allow me to be a better mother when the time comes, or even give me the ability to be a mother.

(Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/endometriosis/DS00289/DSECTION=treatments%2Dand%2Ddrugs
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/polycystic-ovary-syndrome/DS00423/DSECTION=treatments%2Dand%2Ddrugs
Article regarding Arizona's law:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/14/arizona-birth-control-bill-contraception-medical-reasons_n_1344557.html?ref=politics)

No comments:

Post a Comment