Saturday, August 6, 2011

Free Birth Control: For Some...

The United States Department of Health and Human Services has recently approved free birth control to be included in health insurance plans without a co-pay. You know what this means, right? I am going to have an exorbitant amount of premarital, no strings attached, unprotected sex! 'Cause you that's what all the right-wing conservatives are expecting me to do. For some odd reason they believe the sky is falling whenever a groundbreaking victory for women occurs. And here's a little advice for all you right-wingers out there: Just because you give someone free and easy access to contraceptives doesn't mean she'll turn into a nymphomaniac!

But I digress. It is truly amazing that many women will have access to free birth control. It's also amazing that the HHS's decision also includes breastfeeding supports and screening for gestational diabetes, HIV infection and domestic violence to be covered in health insurance plans without co-payment. However there's a loophole here: Religious employers have the option to refuse contraceptive coverage to their employees. What? I thought one of principles this country was founded on was the separation of church and state. Why must people's spiritual beliefs hinder people from accessing proper healthcare? Those right-wing beliefs have so stealthily slithered into what is supposed our victory. Don't get me wrong, I am absolutely ecstatic about being able to access birth control for free. I will definitely take advantage of that resource. I just feel that it should be available to all women. So we as women must continue to fight until all women have access. We've won the battle but not the war.

1 comment:

Gaylon said...

technically it is not free birth control because if a woman pays for insurance and has to pay a co-pay then she no longer has to pay that co-pay. thus, really not free because she paid her insurance.

but i get what you are saying. this was a long time coming.