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Sunday, Nov 8, 2009
I am strongly in favor of having Plan B sold over the counter to women of all ages, as well as having regular birth control pills (proven safe in 45 years of usage) available that. It would be cheaper, more effective and allow more women access to safe and effective birth control than the current patriarchal system that limits access to birth control by forcing women to make expensive doctor's appointments and making the pill (or Plan B, which is basically a high dose of regular birth control pill ingredients) expensive prescription drugs.
Many adults with good health insurance benefits are not fully aware that the pill, even after so many decades of use and generic versions, is still very expensive -- too expensive for most teenagers, especially without health insurance. Even the most inexpensive generic brands run about $50 (without coverage) and fancy brands can cost $100. This is on top of the cost of scheduling an appointment with a health care provider and/or clinic. Not to mention time -- just try to get in to see a OB-GYN on short notice. My own doctor schedules appointments at a minimum six weeks in advance (if you are lucky).
The reality of this has been decades of teens and young women risking unplanned pregnancy by having unprotected sex, or by using clumsy ineffective methods (foam, etc.) that can be bought at the drugstore.
I guess it would be logical to postpone sex until you got into see your health care provider, got a prescription, saved up money to pay for said prescription and of course, waited the required one month of taking the pill until it becomes effective -- but love and lust have never been logical. I guess this is where the right-wing conservatives get hysterical. Plan B acknowledges the fact that concern and fear of pregnancy -- however illogically -- often occur after an unplanned act of intercourse has occurred, not weeks or months prior (OK, I guess they hate that too, but not quite as much).
The reality is going to be young women buying Plan B and using it AFTER unplanned sexual encounters...for some young women, this is virtually their entire sex life until they settle down with one partner. The other reality is that it will greatly reduce the number of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies and reduce the abortion rate. You'd think that would be making all the right wingers dancing with delight -- but it isn't. This is the absolute proof that what they object to is NOT abortion (despite all the pious and holier-than-thou talk).
What they really hate is sex.
If you really oppose abortion, you would be breaking down the doors of Congress, demanding Plan B in every drugstore and school clinic.
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Salon headlines in your mailbox
