Birth Uncontrol

The GAO has just released a report documenting the irregularities in the FDA's decision to not approve "plan b" emergency contraception for over the counter sales. For those who don't know - EC is a massive dose of hormones which interrupts the normal process of fertilization and implantation after intercourse. It's a fairly effective means of preventing unwanted pregnancy. It has never been intended for regular use -- but, has been made available for a very long time to victims of sexual violence, and in the past several years to women/couples whose regular form of birth control has failed. (The Chick once told me that when she was working with pre-natal patients at her local health authority, a woman wasn't surprised at her positive pregnancy test. The woman related that she and her husband had tried the new birth control film - and after the sex, she discovered it plastered to her bottom.)

Anyway, back to the GAO -- they pointed out that the decision was made before the FDA completed it's own reports about the sale of plan b -- and that the decision was largely made by a political appointee for political reasons. Apparently, this isn't business as usual. Also, the report pointed out that in 24 cases of drugs being reviewed for OTC sales, plan b was the only drug that has a decision that contradicted the FDA's own recommendations.

This comes on the heels of a 63 page report released by the FDA that finds condoms not only prevent some sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy with a fairly high rate of reliability. This report points out that genital warts and sores from syphilis aren't always covered by condoms and thus the effectiveness of condoms from preventing the spread of these two stds is much less. Immediately, the report was criticized by a republican law maker from Oklahoma -- he feels that the FDA "over stated" and "exaggerated" the effectiveness of condoms.

It seems to me that both of these reports coming out so closely is indicative of a) the human obsession with sex and b) the current government's attempt to strangle hold human women by their private bits. Add into the mix the fact that the issue of abortion is likely to be the sole issue that the supreme court nominee will be confirmed or denied over.

Also, there is this propaganda push to convince women that they shouldn't want to be "too successful" or that they should want to get themselves highly educated and then leave the work force to become mothers. Now, I know plenty of stay at home moms -- who work much harder than the non-moms I know -- and I think if the Phenom and I were to attempt reproduction, we wouldn't want strangers spending more time with our offspring than ourselves. But, I am suspicious of propaganda.

I'd like to remind people, when fascist leaders in Europe wanted larger populations to fortify the army, they suspended access to birth control and abortion. When fascists want to end "unemployment" or give advantage to one group over another - they force one group to "lesser" status and out of the work force. Just think about it.