Recently the Supreme Court ruled that businesses can deny women insurance coverage of birth control because of religious reasons. This decision is not only a step back in women’s rights, but can be severely harmful to both women and the children they may bare.
When people think of birth control, they often imagine it being used as a contraceptive, which is generally why certain religious groups are against it.
According to some religious communities, contraceptives go against the natural purpose of sex. Many religions believe if sex isn’t used to procreate, it is unnatural and a sin.
One of the founding principles of the United States is the separation of church and state. If religion is allowed to influence women’s rights to their own bodies, it is infringing on the guidelines of the foundation for our country.
Women who are unable to afford birth control may be forced into parenthood, which may cause problems for themselves and for their child.
Birth control is not only utilized as a contraceptive. It can be used to control acne, prevent sexually transmitted infections, regulate periods and further prevent health risks.
I’m on birth control because of a medical condition. I’m not a doctor, but I’ll do my best to explain.
I have thousands of cysts on my ovaries. People with large ovarian cysts can have them removed, but I’m not that lucky.
What does this mean for me?
During my period, they all contract constantly for days. When I was younger, I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed for long periods of time due to the pain.
It also made my periods 14 days long, when they generally range from five to seven. I also only had a two-day break before the next period would start.
The only thing that stops the pain and regulates the length of my period is birth control. If I can’t have it, I go back to being in immense pain for extended amounts of time with little breaks in between.
I’m lucky enough to have my birth control covered by insurance. If I didn’t have insurance, I would be paying around $50 every three months, or $200 annually.
Instead, I pay $5 every three months, or $20 dollars annually.
I have had birth controls in the past that cost way more than the one I’m on now. I’m lucky to have a cheaper medication, but other women are not.
If I couldn’t afford my birth control, I would be in pain almost all the time. I can’t imagine being in a situation where I’m forced to deal with this pain. Due to the Supreme Court ruling, there may be women in a similar situation as myself who are forced to do just that.
The Supreme Court’s decision to allow employers to decide whether or not birth control can be covered is completely unfair to their female employees. Whether used as a contraceptive or for its many other practical uses, birth control can be a very important part of a woman’s life. The decision to deny it to some women can and will cause problems for them.
All we can hope for is for someone to appeal the decision and for the Supreme Court to overrule it’s decision.
