Blogging for Choice

Today is the anniversary of roe v. wade or the case that guaranteed American women access to medically safe abortions.

As much as we would like to pretend it's non-existent, abortion is, unfortunately, a necessary part of that whole right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

The fact of the matter is that our society has made casual sex the norm. And, with any sex at all, there are potential consequences, only one of which is possible pregnancy. Couple this "fact of life" with the widespread acceptance that mothers bear a greater burden for caring for and nurturing children than men do.

So, it is absolutely necessary that good, safe contraception and access to medically safe abortions be available, if we are to continue to believe that sex is a recreational activity and that women are responsible for any consequences.

I find it interesting that every single "new" birth control method introduced is aimed at women. These forms of birth control most often are methods that require no participation or even awareness for men. And still, the only form of contraception available to men, after all these years is still just the condom. I'm told that men hate condoms, and don't like to have to use them, and thus want for more forms of birth control that would offer the protection of condoms in such a way they would never actually have anything to do with them.

I believe we will have achieved actual gender equality when men and women are equally responsible for contraception, there are multiple forms of contraception for both men and women, and society wide, we expect men to have as much responsibility for any unintended consequences of sex.

Until then, any attempts at chiseling away at access to medically safe abortions is nothing more than misogyny dressed up as a political football.