I've been kind of mum on the whole birth contol insurance issue because I don't like talking politics that often. Usually it leads to arguements that no one can ever win. I don't expect you to agree with my views and I don't plan on changing my opinion because yours differs. However, I think the whole topic presents an interesting problem for a Christian woman. What makes it an even bigger interesting problem, is that I'm a what you might call a liberal, uberly feminist Christian woman. My family tends to be more moderate Conservatives but for some reason my life experiences have put me toward the far left. I'm very anti-Republican, which isn't something you hear very often from born-again evangelicals, but then again, I'm incredibly untraditional.
Anyway, I was reading an article in the New York Times about the Birth Control debate on Capitol Hill. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, here's the read-it-in-a-minute version: Obama signed a bill requiring all insurance companies to cover birth control through employer insurance plans. Many religions organizations are upset because it requires them to offer insurance coverage for certain birth control options that they consider to cause abortions.
One of the big arguements from religious organizations is by offering the insurance coverage for birth control, they are supporting abortion, and EVERY Christian organization is vehemently against it. So they feel like it's impeding on their religious freedom. I do understand this concern. It'd be like forcing a cattle rancher from Texas to drive a SMART car.
Even for those of us who see this arguement as slightly ridiculous, religious freedom is guaranteed in the Constitution. We are guaranteed to worship who or whatever we want without the government regulating that. As a Christian, I don't ever want the government telling me what I believe or stand for is wrong. If you forget your personal convictions and look at this from their standpoint, the point is valid. In essence, the government is telling religious organizations what they stand for is wrong and it has to be changed through offering birth control that might cause an abortion. Looking at the situation through a black and white lens, it's religious discrimination.
However, that's as far as my support of the issue goes. The main problem that should truly upset society is not so much the yelling coming from religious Conservatives but the Republicans trying to overthrow the whole bill. Instead of trying to alleviate concerns from religious organizations, they're trying to get rid of the whole bill. Now it is an election year and most Republicans are trying to pander to their voters but forgive me, most of the American public supported the bill, including probably some Republicans. I can understand trying to reach some compromise to help religious organizations but reversing the whole bill is probably only going to make the bipartisan divide even worse.
As an uber feminist, it bothers me that at these House hearings only 2 women (both of them oppose the bill) were interviewed. That's mean every other person who stepped up to testify was male. Sigh, I have lots of respect for the opposite sex but you can't regulate something you don't understand. It's easy for men because they can go to the store and spend $6 on condoms. Male contraception isn't regulated by the government and you don't need a prescription to buy it. And, the men in these house hearings are assuming women only use birth control for sex, which is wrong. Birth control isn't necessarily used to prevent pregnancy.
Personally, I see birth control as a way to stay competitive in the workplace. My periods are bad enough that I'm crazy, hormonal witch for a week and a half each month. I'm not nice when I start PMSing and when my cramps finally hit, I'm out for three days. I like to say that men can never understand what it's like to have your uterus cut out every month with rusty knives. It's painful and makes even the nicest girls mean. If I'm trying to stay competitive in a world where men have the advantage, I'm going to use every resource I have to my advantage, including birth control. If I can reduce or eliminate the whole crazy period thing, then by golly I'm going to do it. And, yea I think my insurance company should cover it.
Oh and to all my Christians out there, just because your teenage daughter goes on birth control doesn't mean she's going to go out and have sex. And just because I want to use it, doesn't mean I'm having sex. Birth control doesn't always equal sex. Look at it this way, birth control isn't even 100% effective in preventing pregnancy. As my older sister says (who uses birth control) "If God wants me to get pregnant, I'm going to get pregnant." You can still get pregnant using birth control. Not likely but it happens.
I'm not sure what to think of the birth control and abortion issue. I do believe abortion should be a women's choice. I don't see myself personally getting an abortion, unless maybe I got raped or my health was seriously at risk. Now, I'm very much against late-term abortions because at this point, you might at well carry the baby another few weeks and then let some loving family adopt them. My roommate Crystal had a funny point about this, "If you go out and choose to do something stupid, then you should be stuck with the consequences."
So to sum up my blog: 1. The religious organizations are right and just to bring up their concerns. 2. The House hearings were pointless because only 2 women talked about a women's health issue. If you want to regulate a women's health issue, then TALK TO WOMEN NOT MEN! 3. The House Republicans are stupid for trying to overturn the whole bill, but what else it new?
P.S. I will still love you if you vote Republican in the 2012 election and will not hold it against you, because that's even dumber.
