The Importance Of Women's Access To Birth Control

I am passionate about legislation and public discussion regarding women’s access to birth control. It is extremely important for the United States to protect women’s health. Considering that we are one of the most advanced countries in the world, it is important that we provide a major example in the protection of women’s health. The United States is falling behind 46 other nations that already provide free birth control to their citizens, even though we are the richest country in the world.

Under the Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric, the future outlook on the legal accessibility is very uncertain. According to Trump’s executive order which rolled back President Obama’s contraception mandate (which allowed female contraception

to be covered without an insurance co-pay by the Affordable Care Act), insurance companies can now deny women access to birth control for religious and moral reasons. Apparently the separation of church and state can be blurred as needed by those in a position to create public opinion and pass legislation. However, there is a lot of religious backlash from certain free contraception laws. Recently, Massachusetts had legalized free birth control in most insurance companies, which was a major piece of state legislation passed, especially during the Trump administration. The state legislature received a lot of repercussion for a multitude of religious groups. If religion is such the issue, the United States should make birth control nationally available, so religious organizations don’t have to supply birth control, and recipients don’t have to get denied. By and large, conservative Republicans have painted birth control as predominantly about contraception and have implied that it’s a morality issue about irresponsible sex. I am come from a very diverse family with many male members, and my upbringing was more so conservative, but as I have been studying women’s issues, I believe this should be addressed immediately. Further, the dismantling of the free or reduced cost of birth control has disproportionately impacted poorer communities, creating more health issues for women in these areas as women’s health becomes reactionary instead of preventative.

In simple terms, women are paying a larger and larger portion of their health care out of pocket, creating undue hardship. I find it ironic that many health plans will pay for Viagra, but not provide substantive women’s health benefits. In reality, the well-informed understand that women’s health includes birth control, and birth control is much more than simply providing contraception. Birth control - The Pills as used loosely, provides numerous benefits to overall women’s health. This daily medication helps treat or prevent the following: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Endometriosis, Amenorrhea, Menstrual Cramps, Premenstrual Syndrome, Primary Ovarian Insufficiency, Heavy Menstrual Periods, Cancer Diagnosis and Acne.

The United States has an opportunity to be a leader in the world when addressing women’s issues. After being marginalized for centuries, women are taking ownership of their futures in the twenty first century and the US should be supportive and t look back. Women should have the same access to complete health care as their male counterparts. If we want to move forward into an equal society, women must have free access to birth control in order to be equally protected. My dream is to be an integral part of this forward progress, as a vocal leader, as a politician.