Access to abortion has always been a hot topic in the U.S., and it’s in more danger than it has been since 1973 with the overturn of Roe v. Wade nearly two years ago. Unfortunately, abortion is no longer the only right under attack; all forms of contraception are now being targeted.
Legislation across the country is being debated and passed concerning birth control — this will not only endanger abortion or Plan B, but includes hormonal pills, IUDs, contraceptive injections and other commonly relied upon means of preventing pregnancy.
For college students, the vast majority of which have no intention of starting a family any time soon, this poses an especially formidable risk.
In Ohio as of November 2023, reproductive rights have been enshrined in the state constitution. While that’s a huge step, and the three-fifths majority needed to remove the amendment would be hard to come by, we can’t relax.
A lot of states, both those who have placed severe restrictions on abortion and those working toward it, have been working on proposals that would severely limit what forms of birth control are available — and who is able to receive and prescribe them.
A Virginia bill intended to protect the prescription and use of contraceptives, with no mention of abortion whatsoever, was gutted by Governor Youngkin. Legislation that would have guaranteed a sliver of bodily autonomy for Virginian women has become little more than a reaffirmation of far less explicit Supreme Court precedents from 1965 to 1972.
An appeals court in Texas just upheld the decision that Title X, a program that allowed teens access to birth control without parental consent, is a violation of parental rights. Through this, teens have also lost a space that provided education and counseling on reproductive health — something that is especially important in a state without required sex education.
The Arizona Supreme Court decided to uphold a near-total ban on abortion — a law from 1864, when slavery was legal and women voting was not. I would also flatter ourselves to claim that our medical knowledge and capabilities have likely improved from the methods used in the Civil War, but it appears that lawmakers are unwilling to recognize that. The only exception is in the case of saving the woman’s life, but rape or incest apparently do not necessitate access to appropriate healthcare.
All of these cases, among many others, occurred all within the last couple of weeks. As much as we might wish it to be the case, this isn’t an issue that will disappear in time. If left unchecked, the inevitable result will be more rights stripped away — starting with abortion, then birth control, then surrogacy and IVF — and who knows where it will end?
It isn’t all bad news though. Oral contraceptives have been widely used since 1960, but steep prices for insured and uninsured women alike have often posed a barrier. Fortunately, the FDA approved Opill, the first over-the-counter birth control medication, and it’s finally hit the shelves. The medication costs $19.99 for one month’s supply, though it may be sold cheaper at certain retail locations, and the price is projected to lower even more.
With organizations like Planned Parenthood that provide easier access to birth control and reproductive healthcare being booked months in advance, and the cost of prescription birth control being a large chunk of a college student’s discretionary spending, Opill spells only good news.
A little bit more good news: birth control for men is on its way. From a daily pill to an easily reversible and long-lasting injection, multiple forms of contraception are being researched and hopefully soon approved for sale.
The injection is especially promising. It offers efficacy over a period of 10 years, is far less invasive than a vasectomy and can be easily reversed with another quick appointment and injection.
In other words, don’t lose hope. As news articles roll in day after day, expanding upon new ways states have found to take advantage of the overturn of Roe v. Wade, it’s easy to feel defeated and expect nothing but the worst.
Researchers are finding new solutions, and healthier alternatives to forms of contraception long in use. Politicians and activists are fighting against the policies being enacted — another reason to vote in the upcoming election.
Those that are working against it, however, will continue to chip away at different forms of healthcare and its accessibility to those that need it. Use IUDs, take the pill, get an abortion if you need one and don’t let them take it all away.
Virginia Doherty is an opinion writer. Contact her at [email protected].
