Community Corner
Keep Your Crucifix off my Cervix
Birth control helps prevent unplanned and unwanted babies, which also means fewer abortions. Why is that so hard to understand?
Rick Santorum and his tea party buddies are all about freedom. That is all these self proclaimed patriots speak about. Freedom. But one thing they seem to leave out – this freedom they whine about is really only for white, Christian men. If you have a vagina – you can simply stuff your freedom in a sack and call it a day.
Listening to the U.S. House of Representatives hearings on birth control coverage yesterday morning was irritating my uterus. Seriously, she’s angry and wishes she could speak. So I will speak for her.
How DARE these GOP members of our political landscape yap about freedom while they are sucking on the teat of the religious right and telling us what we should do with our bodies, whom we should marry and what medications to which we should be entitled? How dare they.
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Rick Santorum recently spouted about the Obama administration, “”Don’t you see how they see you? How they look down their nose at the average Americans. These elite snobs!” Really, Rick? THEY are the snobs?? Wow. Are we living in Bizarro World?
I worked for a local religious organization – a very huge employer in our area. I was in my early twenties and was denied birth control coverage through the insurance I earned because it was a “Catholic organization.” So even though I worked full time, I had to use the services of Planned Parenthood because my seven bucks an hour was not enough to pay rent, utilities, car payment AND birth control.
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But they want to get rid of Planned Parenthood too, right? And abortion is “murder,” right?? Well it seems to me that if more people had proper insurance coverage and access to affordable healthcare, there would be less need for organizations like Planned Parenthood. And it is crystal flippin’ clear that if more women took birth control, there would be far fewer abortions now wouldn’t there??!!
It is very obvious. According to these hypocritical radicals, you are only allowed to have sex if you intend on making, raising and paying for a child. How many people can honestly look me in the virtual eye and tell me they agree with this? Because a sex-free life really works great for so many Priests, right?
Listen, just because most of us do not want to be baby factories like Mrs. Dugger, that doesn’t make us abnormal or wrong. Just because most of us have a healthy, typical sex life, that doesn’t make us abnormal or wrong. I think Mr. Santorum has lived a pent up life and has blamed women ever since. Ignored in college were ya, poor guy??
"No woman's health should depend on who she is or where she works or how much money she makes,” said President Obama.
"Women's health care should not depend on who the boss is,” stated Illinois Rep. Jan Schakowsky
Exactly. What people need to realize is that women do not only take birth control because they are a bunch of sex-crazed hussies.
While working at that Catholic organization, I worked with a young woman who was still a virgin. She absolutely HAD to take birth control pills due to a very painful condition called endometriosis. There are woman who have to take it to control heavy menstrual bleeding and debilitating cramps. Some take it for ovarian disorders and to avoid certain forms of cancer.
This is not merely a sex issue; birth control is a women’s health issue.
Here are some facts:
- The birth control benefit doesn't apply to churches and places of worship. Approximately 335,000 of them are already exempt. (Planned Parenthood)
- 11.2 Million of U.S. women ages 15-44 use oral contraceptives (CDC)
- 58% use contraception at least in part for purposes other than family planning (Population Reference Bureau)
- Over 600 Physicians (70 of which are Catholic) have spoken out in favor of HHS Contraceptive ruling (Doctors for America)
- Failing to provide contraceptive coverage actually costs employers 15-17% more than actually providing it (Family Health in Brief, Washington Business Group on Health)
- 99% of all sexually experienced women and 98% of sexually experienced Catholic women will use birth control at some point in their lives. (Planned Parenthood)
- Birth control is not abortion. No abortion drugs are covered by this benefit. (Planned Parenthood)
That upsetting hearing in D.C. consisted of almost all men. Only two women testified and they were against birth control. None of the people who testified had medical experience or knowledge. How is that a fair hearing? How is that even allowed to be a part of our governmental process??
Fact is, no one is telling anyone that they have to take birth control. No one is making churches pay for birth control. But when a religious entity wants to get into the employment realm, they need to follow the rules like any other employer.
Insurance companies covering birth control is a lot cheaper for everyone than thousands of unplanned, unwanted babies.
Birth control is a lot easier to stomach than increased and repeated abortions. Birth control is often necessary for the health of women. Birth control is necessary in controlling our ridiculous over population. Birth control is a personal choice which is a part of our FREEDOM!! Freedom is NOT only for those who kneel on Sundays or pee standing up.
Throughout this whole fiasco, I have not been able to get a particular song out of my head…Ever see Monty Python’s Meaning of Life?
(in my sing songy voice)
Every sperm is sacred.
Every sperm is great.
If a sperm is wasted,
God gets quite irate.