Let us have our birth control! 3 ways the argument on women’s health is getting out of hand
1. Where them girls at?
You’re trying to tell us that this is the panel, pictured below, assembled to discuss the
birth control mandate in President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act?
The lack of estrogen in this group makes is almost comical, if, you
know, it didn’t directly affect female health, in which case, it’s
depressing.
Here is what this group of men is discussion, via Metro’s Metropolitik columnist, Brayden Simms:
Republican politicians are making big noise about a mandate, connected
to Obama’s signature Affordable Care Act, requiring employers to provide
preventative care for women. Because the Catholic Church has taken a
strong stance against this rule — claiming that their hospitals and
universities ought to be uniquely free of the employer requirement —
House Speaker John Boehner has promised to kill the “unambiguous attack
on religious freedom.The Obama Administration later compromised with religious groups who
opposed the Act. Now, insurance companies will be required to provide
birth control coverage when an employer refused to include it on
religious grounds.
We’d like to point out that birth control is prescribed for medical
reasons other than preventing pregnancies. We know people who take it to
cure ovarian cysts and to regulate their menstrual cycles. We’re
willing to bet that a majority of women on birth control take it to ease
the pain caused by their periods.
Since none of these men in this photo has ever curled up at their desks
at work suffering from what feels like someone punching them in the
stomach with a hammer, all while trying to brush it off to their boss as just feeling “under the weather,” we cannot help but be upset.
2. Sex is as addictive as drugs
A video that the American Life League released tries to convince parents that Planned Parenthood is out to maliciously hook kids on sex, the same way a drug dealer hooks a junkie on drugs. We didn’t make up the analogy, they did. (The video was taken down from You Tube, but click here to read more about it.)
The gist of the video is that Planned Parenthood hooks kids on sex, so kids will have to buy birth control, then pay for an STD testing and of course, then pay for abortions. The reason? Cha-ching! This vicious cycle allegedly brings in big bucks for Planned Parenthood.
This video, which insultingly paints all girls as sluts, fails to make any sense whatsoever.
Excuse us, but even though these girls are on birth control, they’re all somehow getting pregnant. How does that work?
Also, the video attacks Planned Parenthood for providing information on its website about condoms, masturbation and all forms of sex.
Right, because everyone who wants to have safe sex, or (gasp!) explore their own bodies is clearly waving their freak flag.
3. Foster Friess, big-time funder to Rick Santorum, said the stupidest thing we’ve heard all week.
“Back in my day, they used Bayer Aspirin for contraceptives. The gals put it between their knees and it wasn’t that costly,” he said Thursday on MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports.
Again folks, you can’t make this stuff up.
The conversation was about Santorum’s past statements about contraception.
Friess argues that the contraception is inexpensive. Since he’s not the one taking a birth control pill every day, let us do the math.
With insurance, a generic birth control prescription can cost $15 per month. That’s $180 per year. Without health insurance, a generic birth control costs $50 (folks, we are rounding down, because birth control can cost much, much more). $50 per month equals $600 per year.
Here are a few things I could do with an extra $600 per year.
1. Pay my rent
2. Take a vacation
3. Pay off my student loans
So how can you say contraception is ‘inexpensive,’ Mr. Friess?
At one point, Friess says, “We maybe need a massive therapy session so we can concentrate on what the real issues are.”
That’s one thing we can all agree on. After such an ignorant comment, excuse us while we call our therapists.
Follow Mary Ann Georgantopoulos on Twitter @marygeorgant
