Category: Birth Control

China’s one-child policy has become a controversial topic for numerous years. Many believe that this was a necessary step for the Chinese government to take in order to combat the issue of overpopulation that was taking place in China. However, others argue that the morality of this rule was severely poor and was not worth continuing. I had previously heard of China’s one-child policy, but I never considered all of the factors that went into this rule. I concluded that the policy seems like a violation of rights, so it should not be acceptable to carry out. However, after further reading and discussion with my classmates, my disagreement regarding the one-child policy has only become more solidified. It is evident that China’s one-child policy has more negatives than benefits, and the benefits are not worth risking the negatives in this case.

Previously, I was under the impression that China’s one-child policy restricted every family from bearing more than one child, but, to my surprise, this is not the case in every circumstance. According to a YouTube video from Now This World, Jules Suzdaltsev explains, “It only affects about a third of China’s population, making exceptions for ethnic minorities and rural residents. It also often does not apply if a couple’s first child is female. New rules in 2013 also allowed parents without siblings to have up to two children”. This was surprising to me because although not all citizens were affected by the policy, there were many forced abortions, forced sterilizations, and several missing women as a result of the rule. In fact, the Chinese government claimed that over 400 million births were prevented.

Those who claim that this rule was necessary for the well-being of China and its citizens believe that it reduced the strain on resources that was becoming a great issue by reducing the population competing for those resources. The government was able to gain the confidence of its citizens by creating the one-child policy to give the impression that they had the situation under control. Jules Suzdaltsev claims that the policy was supported by more than three-fourths of the population of China (‘Why China’s One-Child Policy Failed’). It can be assumed that a likely reason for such a dramatic number of citizens supporting this rule was the government’s control over the media. This gave the Chinese government the power to manipulate the impression citizens received to make it seem like it was causing more benefits than negative consequences.

Nevertheless, several individuals view the one-child policy as an immoral act that violates human rights, including myself. In an article by Matt Rosenberg, he states that “… there is evidence of sex-selective abortion, neglect, abandonment, and even infanticide of infant females”. Female children were viewed as less valuable, and most families preferred to have a son as their only child. Therefore, the lives of female infants often ended in hopes of conceiving a male child. Many females who were born were often given up for adoption for this reason as well. The one-child policy resulted in many undocumented women who were unable to work, get an education, and more because the government was unaware of their existence. If the government were to discover that a couple who are only permitted to have one child actually had more than one, the couple could face fines, unemployment, and various other negative consequences. Therefore, oftentimes, women were left with no choice but to have abortions if they became pregnant with a second child. Each of these negatives highlights the Chinese government’s violation of women’s rights and bodily autonomy.

As a result of the decline in the female population due to the preference for male children, additional problems are arising. There are now more men than women in China, so there are limitations to reproduction. Chinese citizens have to bring females from other various locations for men to have a spouse to reproduce. Consequently, this is creating a cultural impact on China. China values its culture greatly, and this is somewhat becoming disrupted because of women from other countries impressing their culture on China. During a group discussion in class, one of my classmates made an interesting statement that I had never considered. She questioned whether importing women from other countries could be unintentionally increasing sex trafficking. I was unaware of the process of transporting women from other countries, but upon further research, I discovered that these women are bought and sold. Heather Barr explains in an article: “The women and girls being trafficked are often ethnic or religious minorities, from impoverished communities, or, in the case of North Korea, on the run from their own abusive regime”. Therefore, the one-child policy has not only resulted in numerous immoral deaths but has also created an increased issue in trafficking women.

Lastly, there is now the issue of caring for the elderly. There is a significantly higher number of elderly individuals than younger generations due to the one-child policy. In Chinese culture, it is expected for younger generations to care for their parents and grandparents when they become elderly. However, due to a decrease in the population of younger individuals and fewer people having siblings, all of the responsibility is placed on one individual (‘Why China’s One-Child Policy Failed’). It is also likely that because of the decrease in population of younger citizens, the economy will begin to suffer in the years to come because of the significantly higher number of older individuals retiring or passing away, and there are not enough younger individuals to fill their positions.

It is evident that China’s one-child policy created many tragic consequences that are undoubtedly immoral and eventually harmful to Chinese society and economy. However, I do not believe that the Chinese government intended for these consequences to occur. If there were not such a preference for male children over female children, this policy may not have resulted as negatively. On paper, this policy seems like a decent idea that will decrease population and prevent overpopulation from continuing to be an ongoing issue that puts a strain on resources. However, it is inevitable for detrimental issues to arise with policies such as this one, which is why it should not have been implemented, and it should never be a considered policy elsewhere. The policy resulted in increased death and abortion rates, increased trafficking rates, and a decline in the Chinese society and economy, and these negatives are much too detrimental to consider the benefits worth implementing the policy.

Works Cited

1. Barr, Heather. ‘China’s Bride Trafficking Problem’. Human Rights Watch, 31 Oct. 2019, www.hrw.org/news/2019/10/31/chinas-bride-trafficking-problem#. Accessed 8 Feb. 2020.
2. Rosenberg, Matt. ‘China One Child Policy Facts’. ThoughtCo, 26 June 2018, www.thoughtco.com/china-one-child-policy-facts-1434406. Accessed 8 Feb. 2020.
3. ‘Why China’s One-Child Policy Failed’. YouTube, uploaded by Now This World, 31 Oct. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNKQT7Ub2Ps.

Within America and the Pill: A History of Promise, Peril, and Liberation, Elaine Tyler May recounts the lasting cultural impact of birth control during the 1960s and 1970s. May analyzes the initial logic in which birth control was defined and discusses the ramifications caused due its shifting meaning amongst physicians, women, and politics. “The pill” initially claimed to have the ability to reduce the nation’s population and communism, diminish poverty and marital dysfunction, and encourage capitalism. () While it did not live up to such claims, birth control played a major role in assisting women who craved reproductive agency and sexual liberty. May follows the historical backdrop of the pill from its endorsement in 1960, she examines ways in which birth control satisfied early desires, how the pill empowered women, and how patriarchy sought to reject women’s liberation.

May starts the discussion by reexamining the pill’s launch. Once available, the pill’s leading advocates were not only researchers but feminists. Although male researchers, John Rock and Gregory Pincus, were fundamentally responsible for the production of the pill, their efforts were superseded by the conviction and assurance of Margaret Sanger, with the alliance of Katherine McCormick. May uncovers the sole influencing factor for Sanger’s desire to guarantee the creation of birth control, feminism. Sanger’s feminist ideologies allowed women to envision birth control as a gateway into the sexual unknown. Sanger’s initial actions of opening the first birth control clinic landed her in prison. During this time, McCormick financed early research for birth control and unlawfully imported diaphragms into Sanger’s clinic. () Even though Sanger and McCormick are not recognized for the scientific analysis of birth control, May regards them as the “mothers of invention” for helping make the pill accessible to those who sought out preventative options. () Toward the end of the section, May discloses her personal history with birth control, acknowledging her father’s involvement with the production of the pill. Edward Tyler, May’s father, delayed the FDA approval of the pill until he was content with the preemptive measures ensured to combat the harsh side effects.

While Sanger and McCormick’s vision for birth control would assist women with controlling their reproductive system, the study of the pill revealed a close association with politics, eugenics, social movements, and sexual liberation. This association resulted in the silence of women’s voices regarding the discussion of reproductive agency. Unfortunately, the pill was only accessible to women who were married to white women, leaving the minority with a feeling of hopelessness. ()

Many advocates believed the aid of birth control would encourage women to prepare for reproduction, as well as, space out births. Conversely, some proponents were in favor of eugenics, anticipating the reduction of births from those who were assumed to be “unfit” to reproduce. In most cases, this belief was aimed at poor Black women. () In other countries, specifically in India, population rates were rapidly growing. Campaigners were certain that the pill would aid in reducing the population, but this proved to be a difficult task due to the isolated villages where health professionals were limited. ()

In the latter portion of the book, May details the varied responses the pill received amongst women who were searching for an efficient contraceptive. Many commended the pill’s capacity to isolate the sexual act from reproduction, others called for more data about the health risks and side effects. Women grew frustrated with researchers dismissing the varied experiences they encountered while on birth control. Researchers were reluctant to add women’s familiarity in scientific studies to determine its safety. This resulted in the rapid growth of the women’s health movement which required efficient evidence on birth control research.  

Introduction

I. Attention Getter

What if I told you, a simple pill or shot could benefit someone you know? This product could benefit a family who has fallen on hard times. This product could make life more enjoyable for the user. What if I told you this product could benefit our economy? However, there’s a catch; this product would be at no cost to the user, the cost for this product would come from taxes that you pay. It does sound skeptical, but this is already being done in cities in Colorado.

II. Listener Relevance Link

62% of women in the United States are currently using birth control. It’s likely that most of you in this room, know of a female who is using birth control such as the pill, implant, or shot. Now imagine this female in your life, is struggling to pay for her birth control on top of the bills she already has. Causing her to stop using birth control so she can get groceries, and then she gets pregnant, unintentionally. Now she is faced with many hard choices and a challenging future to provide for herself.

III. Speaker Credibility

Since my first menstrual cycle began, I’ve done my research on what benefits birth control has on women. As a young female, birth control is targeted towards my gender, for obvious reasons. Through my years of being on it, I’ve learned that birth control has given me the power to control when I want to conceive, so that I may focus on my career and future.

IV. Thesis Preview

To help you understand why free birth control can be beneficial to more than just the women taking it, I’ll share with you the benefits it has on our future families, and our communities and how Colorado has already done its part by providing free contraceptives for some of its citizens.

Transition: Before I can explain to you how government-covered birth control can benefit our economy, I would like to point out the benefits free contraceptives provide to our future families.

Body

• Free birth control benefits women, especially those in poverty. The benefits don’t stop at just the women receiving the birth control, the contraceptive product also aims to benefit the families of these women.
• Source: Urist, J. (2014). Social and Economic Benefits of Reliable Contraception. Retrieved (October 14, 2019) from https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/07/the-broader-benefits-of-contraception/373856/

According to Jacoba Urist, in his article, ‘Social and Economic Benefits of Reliable Contraception’, women who have access to free, reliable birth control regardless of their income, are more likely to further their careers, resulting in higher incomes for women who choose when they want to get pregnant; bringing in children when they are ready. Children, who are of unintended pregnancies, are more likely to grow up in a life full of poverty and have delays academically.

Waiting until a woman is ready to have children also helps her relationship with her partner. When a couple waits until they are financially and emotionally ready, they are less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. Thus, those who have unplanned pregnancies are more likely to split up causing their child to grow up in a broken home. Having a child before you are ready, can make finishing high school or that college degree you were so eager to get, difficult. Which will make getting a better-paying job, harder and make government assistance sound much more appealing.

Transition: Now that we know some benefits free birth control has on women and their future families, let’s talk about how free contraceptives can benefit our economy.

• With unintended pregnancies seeming to be all too common here in the United States, studies show that women who are given access to free birth control could potentially save the U.S. $13.6 billion a year.
• Source: Frost, J., Sonfield, A., Zolina, M., & Finer, L. (2014) Return on Investment: A Fuller Assessment of the Benefits and Cost Savings of the US Publicly Funded Family Planning Program. The Milbank Quartley, Vol. 92, No. 4, (pg 667-720)

According to an analysis from the Guttmacher Institute, the average number of unplanned pregnancies is about 2.2 million in the U.S. every year. That’s the possibility of adding 2.2 million people to government assistance each year provided by the taxpayers’ dollars. In this same report, it is noted that for every dollar spent on long-term contraceptives, Medicaid spending will be saved by $5.68. Not only saving our childbearing women but saving our economy.

With the help of funded family planning, we can help lower the number of people who are assisted by the government. Less unintended pregnancies would mean the potential for fewer people on food assistance and Medicaid. Richard Nixon once said, “Unwanted or untimely childbearing is one of several forces which are driving many families into poverty or keeping them in that condition.”

Transition: Now that we have covered the potential benefits to our economy from free birth control, I would like to give you a working example; Colorado.

• With the rise of unintended pregnancies, Colorado has taken the initiative to provide free long-term birth control to women in the poorest parts of the state.
• Source: Epstein, J. (July 20, 2015). Is Birth Control the Key to Ending Poverty? Retrieved (October 14, 2019), from https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/is-birth-control-the-key-to-ending-poverty/

Established in 2009, Colorado’s Family Planning Initiative has been able to provide long-term birth control to about 30,000 women at no cost to them, which normally would cost $900 for the woman. According to Jill Epstein in her article, ‘Is Birth Control the Key to Ending Poverty?’, Colorado chose to provide long-term birth control, such as the implant because it is more effective and has been known to have fewer failure rates.

Along with providing free long-term birth control, in doing so, Colorado has been able to see a decrease in teen pregnancies in the areas where the birth control was provided. More low-income teens in these areas are graduating high school than before. The state is seeing a decrease in people needing government assistance. Did the effects of providing free birth control to its citizens, help Colorado?

Conclusion

I. Thesis Review

In review, I have informed you of the benefits of free birth control on the families of women, the economy, and how Colorado has done its part, you can understand the advocacy behind free birth control for women.

II. Clincher

Now that I have educated you on a few facts about free birth control, would you stand behind the idea? Would you stand up for the cause knowing it would benefit children, and our economy and help a woman in need? Knowing what you know now, would you be okay with the taxes you pay going toward a woman’s contraceptives?               

There were many obstacles that modern birth control went through before it was available to the public. There is a great amount of history on birth control, it was considered a sin by religious leaders, there were laws in place, and people such as doctors went to jail for advising women on birth control. In the 19th century, there were restrictions on the release of information about birth control and serious consequences. In the 20th century, there was a battle for the organization of birth control clinics. Margaret Sanger was a popular activist for birth control and reproductive rights. Only in recent years has society begun to accept the many forms of birth control. There are a variety of contraceptives that people can choose from, there are birth control pills, devices that can be inserted in the vagina or arm, as well as condoms. People argue that a woman has every right to control her body and if she would like to reproduce, but others with other viewpoints such as religion view it as a sin because of what is stated in the bible. There is a constant controversy over the usage of birth control and reproductive rights.

In some ways, birth control has always been socially regulated. Birth control pills have numerous amount of side effects to them. As technology continues to advance, so does the number of diseases and infections that are discovered. A few other advantages include reduced risk of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), protection against endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer, reduced chance of tube birth, protection against fibrocystic breast disease, relief from menstrual symptoms such as cramping, stress, and severe bleeding, reduced chance of iron deficiency anemia. Nothing is ever really 100% but birth control is close to that at 98% effective in preventing pregnancy.

In 1983 there was a ban on the spread of information on birth control. This lift of the ban, allowed medicine to advance with success and the diaphragms. A diaphragm is a dome-shaped device placed in the vagina and is used to block the sperm from entering the uterus. It is 96% effective and it prevents conception with the use of spermicide from the device. It is estimated that perhaps the diaphragm’s typical user-failure rate is about 12 percent, with most failures due to improper use.

One of the most common uses of birth control is a pill and it is commonly given to younger women. Some consider this approach morally wrong because they see it as an abortion type. Others believe that this method of contraception does not contribute to women’s health care, but may harm them. Many claim the pill promotes promiscuity because it can be an excuse to engage in sexual activity while avoiding the unwanted pregnancy effect. There are plenty of explanations that outweigh the beliefs that most people have, the benefits to the negatives of birth control. In addition, birth control pill use and distribution is beneficial to women’s health and society as a whole.

Each person has different side effects while taking the pills, it also depends on the amount of placebo pills. Many different combination pill formulations nowadays have slight differences in their use and hormone levels.

Many places around the world struggle with overpopulation and it is beginning to be a problem. Along with many other contraceptives, the contraceptive pill may benefit their population and help to prevent population growth in other countries. In big countries like China, for example, acknowledging other religions is a benefactor. China is one of the few places outside of the United States to have control over their population by providing birth control, this will allow a decrease in abortions and avoid unwanted pregnancies.

Many unwanted pregnancies in families result in financial instability. What some people don’t understand is that there can be mistakes and unintended pregnancies. Giving birth to a child and raising one requires a lot of commitment and some young couples or people may not be ready for that. For example, if a young couple still in high school had their condom split without realizing it, there would be a pregnancy and the options available to them would be abortion, adoption, and keeping the baby. By having a baby a lot of people sacrifice their education and their freedom of life.

Birth control has helped women and society as a whole. It helps a family’s economic status or stability and prevents women from having unwanted pregnancies. Instead of committing themselves to raising a child they can go to college and pursue a career. This can be done, but pursuing these goals will be easier for a couple who don’t have a baby. It has improved the healthcare of women by offering a kind of control over a woman’s body, thereby minimizing discomfort when menstrual cramps and other symptoms arise. Adoption rates will go up, and if more women have access to the birth control pill, abortion rates can go down. Some would refuse to use it, as this could be called promiscuity. Society’s viewpoint on birth control continues to expand and the way a woman wants to use birth control is completely up to her. This can help create a path for women to be able to obtain a career. Birth control can also affect the entire society. Birth control will continue to improve and the overpopulation of the world will also give a positive aspect to the usage of birth control.    

Teenagers should be permitted to get first power without maternal permission.” Birth control is a freedom that should be available to teens without their parent’s consent; Birth control is a freedom of fundamental human rights.” Teens are deciding to have sex without their parent’s consent, therefore I think birth control should be the same when it comes to protecting themselves against pregnancy and other life-changing decisions.

Today teenagers between the ages of thirteen through eighteen should be able to find a form of birth control without the permission of their parents. The odds of teens reaching out to their parents about getting birth control are probably slim to none. We would all love to live in a perfect world, but of course, the world isn’t perfect. A question to whom all would oppose teens being allowed to purchase birth control without their parent’s consent would be “How important is your teenager’s future to you?”

Birth control should remain accessible to teenagers without their parents being involved. With birth control, there would be fewer teens becoming early parents. Contraceptives allow teens to be more responsible with their choices. Birth control can also reduce the amount of time women conceive. Women who use birth control are less likely to conceive unexpectedly.

That option equals yours should teens get the right to first power without their parent’s permission. This response is yes because statistics reveal that it remains one of the primary reasons for a lot of unplanned pregnancies. In 2013, there were 26.5 births for every 1,000 adolescent females ages 15-19 or 273,105 babies born to females in this age group. That’s an increase of about 2 percent from 1998. That’s more than double the rate of pregnancy among all other groups. That’s why it is important to have a plan for your child and plan how you want to keep her healthy. If you don’t have a plan, then there are many ways to help your child with the right care. Another way is by giving them a prescription for birth control pills.

Clinics that will provide birth control to minors without the mother’s license are called Title X clinics. These clinics get federal funding, so they won’t have to follow the same rules as the other clinics in Texas that are funded by the state.

The only difference is that Medicaid and planned parenthood do not fund birth control. Medicaid provides health care for pregnant women, it also provides contraception but it does not cover abortions. If you need help with your health care you can go to the clinic and pay for it, because Medicaid has a fee-for-service model. 

Modern Birth Control faced many challenges by society. Birth control is seen as both a positive and negative thing. People do not take into account the benefits that it can provide such as it can reduce the chances of obtaining an ovarian cyst and cancer as well as a reduction of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). Some disadvantages are the side effects it may cause such as weight gain, abdominal pain, and leg swelling. It also doesn’t protect people from obtaining Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) or Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). During the nineteenth century, there was a federal ban on the sale and consumption of contraceptives. The pill was later introduced in the twentieth century with restrictions only allowing married women to obtain the pill and prohibiting single women from taking it. Examples of ways society has affected birth control are religious leaders who say it is a sin, politics placing laws to prohibit the distribution of it, and extreme measures being taken when the laws were broken. Activists fought for women’s reproductive rights and birth control. Only in recent years, society has begun to accept the idea of women using birth control. There are a variety of birth control that women can choose from, there are birth control pills, diaphragms, spermicides, Intrauterine devices (IUDs), and the most common form of birth control condoms. The following scholarly books and articles are based on birth control, women’s rights, reproductive rights, and society’s view it describes the process and evolution of birth control through the centuries and how women fight for their reproductive rights, and it explains the different methods of birth control.

“ Birth Control and Female Empowerment: An Equilibrium Analysis,” by Pierre-Andre Chiappori and Sonia Oreffice, is an analysis by the Journal of Political Economy. This article discusses how birth control helps empower women in the economy and the reformation of birth control for all women (Chiappori and Oreffice 116). Chiappori states that the introduction of the new birth control technology allowed mobility to earn income, which may discourage some women from becoming mothers unless they receive adequate compensated women to control their fertility, the pill at first was only offered to married women and then later on it was offered to single women (Chiappori and Oreffice 116). He also argues further against the usage of birth control, “motherhood decreases a woman’s action” (Chiappori and Oreffice 115). This shows us that women overthink the possibility of becoming mothers when they do not have a proper husband to support them through the process but also considering single women the shortage of a father does not come to the benefit of a single mother. The process of making the pill available to every single woman reduces the probability of obtaining unwanted pregnancies from both married women and single further describing it as “p to some p’

‘When motherhood and childhood are free, we then can go hand in hand with man, to remake the world, for the glorification as well as the emancipation of the human race.’ Margaret Sanger ended her passionate speech debating birth control against Winter Russell with that quote. Sanger, born in 1879, was a revolutionary woman who spent her lifetime defending the rights of women across America. She is credited with coining the term “birth control” and with being the co-creator of the world’s first oral contraception pill. Most people debated whether Sanger deserved a good reputation. She did innovative work with contraception for women, which had her loved by many. Unfortunately, she also dabbled in eugenics, which is the science of controlled natural selection in humans. For quite a few Americans, this interest in eugenics blemished Sanger’s reputation beyond repair. Sanger deserves her good reputation due to her work as an activist for women, which was her creation of safer abortion and the term birth control, as well as co-engineering an oral contraceptive pill. [1: “Debate Between Margaret Sanger and Winter Russell,” Gorn, Elliot J., Randy Roberts, and Terry D. Bilhartz. Constructing the American Past: A Source Book of a People’s History. 5th ed. Vol 2. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2005.]

Sanger, at a young age, watched her mother pass away from, among other things, the effort of delivering over ten children and dealing with seven miscarriages. She then devoted herself to assisting other women trapped in unwanted pregnancies with their abortions. At the time, women burdened with unwanted pregnancies had to resort to dangerous and unsanitary abortions that they often performed on themselves. As Sanger stated in her debate against Winter Russell:

We know how detrimental abortion is to the physical side as well as to the psychic side of the woman’s life, and yet there are in this nation, because of these generalities and opinions that are here before us, that are stopping the tide of progress, we have more than one million women with abortions performed on them each year.1

Sanger was an expert on the disastrous effects having a bunch of kids wrought on women, having personally witnessed these effects. As PBS’s biography on Sanger stated, “It was after these botched abortions that Sanger was usually called in to care for the women.” Wishing to assist these women in every way that she could, Sanger opened America’s very first birth control clinic, where she offered to perform safe, sanitary abortions for those who did not wish to spend the rest of their lives as a mother. Of course, not getting pregnant at all was preferable to having to abort the pregnancy. [2: 1 “Debate Between Margaret Sanger and Winter Russell,” Gorn, Elliot J., Randy Roberts, and Terry D. Bilhartz. Constructing the American Past: A Source Book of a People’s History. 5th ed. Vol 2. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2005. (PBS, n.d.)]

Sanger believed the concept of “birth control,” a term she invented, could help improve the lives of women across America. Birth control was created as a way for women to enjoy intimate time with their husbands without the stress of potentially having a child. “Birth control was not merely a technique; it grew out of political ideology, and Sanger believed it would contribute to the liberation of women, especially working-class women.” At the time, part of the labor that allowed America to function was done by children. When they were old enough, children got kicked out of the house and sent to work so that their mothers could deal with the next batch of children. Sanger despised child labor and saw birth control as a means of either crippling or dissolving the industry. Of course, there were people in the government who wrote laws with the intent of ending child labor. But, in Sanger’s opinion: [3: (Courses. PSU, n.d.)]

…they have not succeeded and they will never succeed until they establish birth control clinics in those districts where these women are, where they put in birth control clinics as they have in Holland–in every industrial section in the United States where women can come to trained nurses and physicians and get from them scientific information whereby they may control birth.

Birth control was a revolutionary idea, but as with most things, it was not readily supported by everyone. [4: “Debate Between Margaret Sanger and Winter Russell,” Gorn, Elliot J., Randy Roberts, and Terry D. Bilhartz. Constructing the American Past: A Source Book of a People’s History. 5th ed. Vol 2. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2005.]

Sanger’s quest for birth control was marred by the inconvenience of the fact that sending out information about birth control was illegal. This fact was present in Sanger’s life twice. The first time, she was charged with sending out diaphragms to women through the postal service. Later, she was arrested and sent to serve jail time after she opened the first birth control clinic in the United States and started distributing diaphragms to women whenever they stopped by. Thankfully, she did not spend the rest of her life rotting in a prison cell. “Her conviction, when appealed, won an interpretation of New York law that allowed doctors — though not nurses, as she intended — to prescribe contraception for medical purposes.”

 Unfortunately for Sanger, her problems with dispensing birth control to the women of America did not end with legal issues. The risk of jail was not the only thing standing in the way of her concept of birth control. [5: (Population Reference Bureau, 2000)]

Sanger received backlash about how she used eugenics to spread her ideas on birth control across America. Eugenics, which is a fancy name for the study of supervised natural selection in humans, was a highly debated topic in America. Part of the backlash Sanger faced came from the fact that many Eugenicists believed that birth control, according to PBS’s “Eugenics and Birth Control,” was “a useful tool for curbing procreation among the “weak”.” Those who did not support eugenics refused to use birth control, feeling that, by doing so, they would support eugenics. Sanger herself was not a supporter of eugenics and opposed many of the core beliefs. However, that did not stop her from using eugenics to boost the progress of her notion of birth control. Sanger thought that, by pairing her idea with eugenics, she could ride the wave of success that eugenics was producing. She used eugenics as a primary argument in her speeches, which tarnished her reputation in the eyes of many Americans. Moreover, her reputation was dirt in the minds of the black people of America, in particular. They believed that Sanger was using birth control and eugenics as a cover story for her real intentions. They believed that Sanger did not want more generations of black people in America and was trying to use her ideas as a means of accomplishing this. Despite the accusations, Sanger went on in her life to create an innovative piece of technology. [6: (PBS, Eugenics and Birth Control, n.d.)]

Sanger desired to help design a pill that would act as a contraceptive device that women could control. At the time, the only birth control devices available to the public were the diaphragm, a little cup-like object made from silicone that covers the cervix to prevent pregnancy, and a full-length rubber condom. Unfortunately, most women did not use diaphragms due to embarrassment or uncomfortableness. Women would happily use condoms, but as they were for men, they had less say in whether condoms would be used. Sanger wished to create a contraceptive device that was essentially a pill, that would be as easy to use as any other type of medication. According to PBS’s biography on Sanger, “She wanted a pill that could provide women with cheap, safe, effective and female-controlled contraception.” Now that Sanger had the basic concept of her “dream pill” sorted out, all she needed was someone to help her bring her idea into reality. [7: (PBS, Margaret Sanger (1879-1966), n.d.)]

Sanger sought to find someone to assist her in making her dream pill a reality. She had waited long enough for scientists to create an oral contraceptive and was ready to take matters into her own hands. Finally, after searching far and wide for someone with the means to take her vision and make it physical, she found a partner in a medical expert in human reproduction named Gregory Pincus. Not long thereafter, she and her new partner gained a sponsor: “International Harvester heiress Katharine McCormick.” Sanger and her dream team began work on the oral contraceptive and ended up accomplishing her dream. In 1960, the FDA approved the creation birthed out of the partnership, Enovid, the world’s first oral contraceptive. With a little bit of assistance, Sanger had finally brought her dream to life. [8: (PBS, Margaret Sanger (1879-1966), n.d.)]

Sanger’s life goal was to bring safe, affordable birth control to the women of America. Although not everyone welcomed her ideas with open arms, she did end up changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of women. As she stated in her debate against Winter Russell, “’I am speaking for the millions of women who are crushed with over childbearing, whose lives are broken and who have become drudges in the family today.’ She poured her heart and soul into helping her fellow women and was justly deserving of her good reputation. At the age of 81, Sanger departed this life with the knowledge that she had won the war for the right to allow women to govern their fertility. [9: “Debate Between Margaret Sanger and Winter Russell,” Gorn, Elliot J., Randy Roberts, and Terry D. Bilhartz. Constructing the American Past: A Source Book of a People’s History. 5th ed. Vol 2. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2005.]

Bibliography

1. birth control. Accessed February 26, 2020. https://www.courses.psu.edu/hist/hist021_cjs18/birth.htm.
2. “Eugenics and Birth Control.” PBS. Public Broadcasting Service. Accessed February 26, 2020. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pill-eugenics-and-birth-control/.
3. “Debate Between Margaret Sanger and Winter Russell.” Gorn, Elliott J., Randy Roberts, and Terry D. Bilhartz. Constructing the American Past: A Source Book of a Peoples History. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, 2005.
4. “Margaret Sanger.” Biography.com. A&E Networks Television, April 15, 2019. https://www.biography.com/activist/margaret-sanger.
5. “Margaret Sanger, Birth Control Pioneer.” Population Reference Bureau. Accessed February 26, 2020. https://www.prb.org/margaretsangerbirthcontrolpioneer/.
6. “Margaret Sanger (1879-1966).” PBS. Public Broadcasting Service. Accessed February 26, 2020. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pill-margaret-sanger-1879-1966/.

According to Sel’s study, the form of female “Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only became available in the 20th century” (Sel 616). Although female contraceptives are good for young teens and many adults, contraceptives are not always easy for everyone to get ahold of if they don’t have good health insurance or funds. Many forms of female birth control can be extremely pricey for a young teen that has strict parents or a homeless woman. This could make getting the contraceptives almost impossible to get ahold of. The national health care systems across the world should make it easier for the females that have this problem to get the help that they desperately need.

Unwanted pregnancies could be hard on a young teen, free birth control could decrease nasty, unsafe abortions. Female contraceptives stop unwanted teen pregnancies because if used the right way it’s very effective on making the girl to not ovulate. With birth control being free, all girls could have access to this form of protection, with this the abortion rates won’t be towering like they are today. If a young girl was to get pregnant she could perform an unsafe, ugly abortion herself or she could go to an untrained doctor because it’s cheaper. If she was to do this she could permanently harm her body that could affect her in several ways. Researcher Agyemang talking about young females said, “Most of these pregnancies are associated with poor outcomes such as miscarriages, stillbirths, unsafe abortions and other complications that might result in infant or mortality” (Agyemang 1). A young girl in high school or even college doesn’t have a lot of money so providing female contraceptives cheap would help her in many ways.

Sometimes females can’t always get ahold of the items they need to help them when they are bleeding. Female contraceptives can help with this problem because birth control can either decrease or completely stop the bleeding. In Yoost’s article, she talks about how “Up to 58%- 63% of women may continue to ovulate with LNG IUDs, yet will have decreased menstrual bleeding due to the progestin effect on the endometrium” (Yoost 948). Many females don’t make enough money to provide themselves with pads or tampons. Also, a female could run out of either one in a horrible time and that could cause a bigger problem because blood could bleed through the clothing ruining it and it would also get on the seat. This is not only embarrassing but unsanitary for the people around the seat. Making birth control free would make this problem easier to handle for everyone that’s involved.

Acne can ruin a person’s self-esteem making them unconfident and sometimes depressed but free birth control could help with this problem. People that have acne are often made fun of or picked on because people associate acne with uncleanliness when that’s not always the case. Acne is something that can happen to a female at almost any time in her life but for some, they try covering it up with facial products to hide that the acne is they’re often making it worse. The US National Library of Medicine said: “If girls and women who have acne use the birth control pill as a form of contraception, it may also have a positive effect on their complexion” (US National Library of Medicine 1). Being on birth control can help a female with this problem of embarrassment that’s holding her back from things in life. Birth control will help a female to not be afraid of going out in public so that women can be a successful member of her town by contributing herself.

Understandably, there are those who disagree with the fact that female birth control should be free. Some people think it’s not the government’s job to help out these girls and women in need. However, females don’t always have the funds to care for a child, causing the government to provide for the child either through an orphanage or food stamps. Making birth control free for all females would, in the end, be cheaper for the government. Saving the money that the government would use to help an unwanted child could be used in much better ways. Don’t the people want to help our government save our tax dollars to be used for better ways that could help more members of the community out?

One of the most awkward situations a teen has to go through is the “sex talk” with their parents. One of the biggest fears from parents and teens is the high risk of becoming pregnant after intercourse. There are several methods to prevent unexpected pregnancy such as an implant, sponge, and condoms. One of the most convenient however is the pill. Birth control should be easily accessible to everyone despite the cost or parent approval.

When talking about why birth control should be easily accessible, it is important to understand what it is and learn about its history. Merriam Webster Dictionary defines the birth control pill as, “any of various preparations, usually containing both a progestin and an estrogen, taken orally especially on a daily basis, and act as contraceptives typically preventing ovulation by suppressing secretion of gonadotropins”. Overall can be described as a pill taken to prevent pregnancy. In the 1950’s Margaret Sanger with the help of Gregory Pincus started the long road to creating the first birth control pill. Sanger met Pincus at a dinner party in New York and knowing his reputation knew he would be perfect to help her (Nikolchev 1). The women who were used in testing were typically rape victims who could not afford to provide for their children. Research goes on to say that many of the tests did not meet the standards of today’s tests. They did, however, test this pill just as thoroughly as they do today. By 1957 the pills were FDA approved for the regulation of menstrual cycles. The approval was a huge victory for Sanger. By 1959, 500,000 women were using this form of contraception to regulate periods while benefiting from its prevention of unexpected pregnancy. It was not until 1960 that the FDA approved it to be sold strictly for its contraceptive abilities. Today, for every 100 women who use this method, about nine will become pregnant in relevance to showing how far along we have come (Planned Parenthood 2). Birth control has numerous positive effects on women and their health.We should make this pill easier accessible to women of all ages.

Many of us are familiar with acne being apart of the process of puberty and just how terrible it is. According to parents.com, one of birth controls positive side effects is its prevention of acne. Dermatologists have recommended the pill as a solution to acne for decades. Lisa Keder explains that women’s testosterone increases production in sebum oil which can cause your face as well as other areas to break out. When taking birth control, your testosterone decreases, which also decreases the production of sebum oil. In our society, image is as important as just about anything. Having a clear face is a huge demand from teens.

Another benefit coming from the pill is its ability to lighten periods and some of the inconveniences included with them. Oral contraceptives slow the growth of the endometrial lining located in the vagina (Fetters 1). This is the tissue that sheds itself during women’s period flow. With the decrease in lining comes the benefit of less painful periods in forms of cramps and other pains such as headaches. Many women suffer from migraines during the 5-7 day time period they are on their period. While on birth control, the pill will eliminate the constant migraines. The menstrual cycle is reduced as well as some of the pain that comes along with it. The last thing any teen girl wants is to have to deal with a headache along with homework, sports, and studying for tests.

Finally, the most obvious positive effect of birth control is the prevention of unexpected pregnancy. According to research done by many networks, it shows that the average age for people to become sexually active is approximately sixteen years old. At an adolescent age, our brains are not fully developed and can be easily manipulated into sexual activity. Where teenage sex is not encouraged, it is better to be safe than sorry. Taking the pill does not ensure women to be engaged in intercourse, rather than it being prepared for an uncertain situation.

While birth control has many positives, there happen to be some negatives coming along with it. When taking birth control female’s libido can decrease. In other words, libido is a shortened term to describe drive for sexual activity. This might affect females negatively if they are engaged in a physical relationship. There is a possibility for risk of blood clots to increase to up to three times the normal amount (Fetters 1). The author goes on to say that if avoidance of smoking cigarettes and the woman does not have high blood pressure or diabetes, her risk will decrease immensely. Some women can experience depression or mood swings with taking the pill. Dr. Keder goes on to say that if you experience any side effects that change your mood or cause dramatic mood swings not to panic, there are alternative brands and pills that specify to help different areas. Lastly, as helpful as birth control is to prevent pregnancy, it has been said that it is only 95%-99% effective if taken correctly and users are not guaranteed full protection from pregnancy.

As stated before, there are situations where it is extremely awkward for teens to open up to their parents about sex. Many girls are embarrassed to open up to the topic. It is easy to be intimidated of judgement or causing disappointment. Making birth control available to teens free of charge and without parental consent would lower unexpected pregnancy rates and abortion procedures because girls would have easy access to a method of prevention no matter their situation.

Earlier this month, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz became the latest Republican to voice support for making birth control available over the counter, joining a group of Democratic women who have long been working on legislation.

If it moves ahead, the odd-couple coalition could help break a political logjam that doctors’ groups say has made it harder for women to properly use contraception, leading to more unplanned pregnancies and poorer health outcomes.

Works Cited

1. Abrams, Abigail. “Can Over-the-Counter Birth Control Become a Bipartisan Issue.” Time, Time, 21 June 2019, time.com/5609049/over-counter-birth-control-bipartisan/.
2. Asbell, Bernard. “The Birth Control Pill: A History.” Planned Parenthood, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 2015, www.plannedparenthood.org/files/1514/3518/7100/Pill_History_FactSheet.pdf.
3. Fetters, K. Aleisha. “The Birth Control Pill: Benefits and Side Effects.” Parents, www.parents.com/parenting/relationships/postpartum-birth-control/side-effects-of-birth-control/.
4. Nikolchev, Alexandra. “A Brief History of the Birth Control Pill.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 11 May 2010, www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/health/a-brief-history-of-the-birth-control-pill/480/.

Women’s rights in Canada have greatly improved and accustomed to the needs of women in the last semi-century. Treating women equally, advocating feminist behaviors, and allowing them to have control over their bodies has gone from being inappropriate and deemed taboo to being predominantly normalized and encouraged in the present. Canada continues to strive for feminism today. Changes in Canadian legislation concerning women’s rights such as birth control, no-fault divorce, and abortion positively improved the lives of Canadian women from the 1960s to the present.

There are many impactful rights that Canadian women were introduced to, one of them being birth control. Birth control was becoming more accepted in the 1960s, especially after 1963, when Canadian birth-control activists Barbara and George Cadbury used the objectives of responsible parenthood and population education, to organize the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) with the Vancouver, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Toronto, and Ottawa birth control societies. The introduction of birth control as a right was a slow process but eventually, it allowed women to avoid pursuing unintended or unwanted pregnancies. This task took quite a while until it became more socially acceptable, but with the help of Barbara and George Cadbury and their organization, it slowly started to normalize itself. The public acceptance of birth control also increased after the post-war baby boom. Until birth control was removed from the criminal code in 1969, women were making contraceptives to prevent unwanted and unintended pregnancies. This proved the demand to be real. The legalization of birth control allowed women to avoid pregnancies and avoid unsafe abortions to be performed. The pill was available to women at the doctor’s prescription in early 1957 but only for irregular periods, rarely for pregnancies. This has dramatically changed when comparing it to the present, birth control is now available to women with easy access. The main function of birth control is to control pregnancy, and the law has started to realize that more. It is still acceptable to use birth control for irregular periods but they are now less restrictive and can be used for anything a woman needs. In conclusion, the changes in legislation concerning birth control positively impacted women by allowing them to gain freedom from unintended and unwanted pregnancies, allowing for fewer unsafe abortions to be performed, and allowing them to have more control over their lives and bodies.

The introduction of no-fault divorce gave women the right to a fulfilling marriage, the freedom to separate in case of physical or mental abuse, and the advantage of being the first to file a divorce. One year of separation and proof of an unrepairable marriage were the criteria for no-fault divorce. The ability to proceed with a no-fault divorce granted women the choice to leave an unfulfilling marriage and progress into a more fulfilling one if they chose to do so, without the denial of a judge. Having a difficult procedure to obtain a divorce or being denied the divorce discouraged women from filing a separation at all, thus proving this change to be positive. Symptoms of those who have experienced violence or manipulation can include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, self-blame or guilt, feelings of isolation and loneliness, anger, loss of control or feelings of powerlessness, and change in intimacy. The ability to leave an abusive marriage had a largely positive impact. An abusive marriage could have consisted of physical, verbal, and emotional manipulation which would have all traumatized the victim to various extents. Enabling women to file a divorce and choose whether they wanted to remain in an abusive relationship prevented the potential destruction of their well-being. Filing a divorce first ensured that women were prepared with legal documents, a team, expenses, and credit and that they had the choice of where their divorce would be adjudicated. No-fault divorce permitted women to reap the benefits of filing a necessary divorce, first. These benefits would not have been present before the change in legislature, therefore proving the positive impact. Also, filing a divorce first makes women feel individual and free, and that they are equal and important to everyone else. Overall, it may be said that no-fault divorce has positively improved the lives of women in ways like giving them the right to a fulfilling marriage, giving them the freedom to leave an abusive relationship, and freedom to reap the benefits of filing a divorce first.

Finally, the right to medical abortions positively impacted the lives of women by providing benefits such as the prevention of most abortion-related deaths, the right to a stable and safe family, and the right to dismiss an unintended or unwanted pregnancy. Performing abortions without medical assistance was dangerous and counted for seventeen to twenty percent of maternal deaths from 1926 to 1947. After abortion was criminalized, the rate of abortion-related deaths dropped dramatically. Access to medically assisted abortions lessened the pressure to perform dangerous abortion methods and encouraged the safety of women. Making abortion illegal will only increase unsafe abortions and will lead women to feel like they have no control over their bodies. The legalization of abortion gave women the right to raise a child and grow a family to the best of their ability if they chose to do so. Removing abortion from the criminal code and providing funding for it gave women the right to a stable and healthy family. Without access to abortion, a woman who was not ready for a child, financially, physically, or mentally would have to birth to the child and risk the well-being of her life or her family’s or risk her own life trying to perform an unsafe abortion. Women and their children are deserving of their well-being, so abortion rights give them the choice to keep or terminate the pregnancy. Legalizing abortion gives women the right to terminate an unwanted or unintended pregnancy. When they have access to abortion they can feel like the choices and decisions that they choose to make are valid and that they matter even if they choose to rightfully get an abortion. To conclude, legalizing abortion has positively impacted women by providing benefits such as the prevention of most abortion-related deaths, the right to a stable and safe family, and the right to dismiss an unintended or unwanted pregnancy.

To conclude, birth control, no-fault divorce, and abortion are all connected because these are rights that have strongly helped women’s rights become what they are now. Birth control is very connected to abortion because many women take birth control to control their pregnancies and abortion is used to get rid of an unwanted pregnancy. Women’s rights such as birth control, no-fault divorce, and abortion are all changes in Canadian legislation that have powerfully improved the lives of Canadian women from the 1960s to the present. In the present, Canada continues to transition into a feminist-based society. Abortion rates are rising. More has changed than it has remained the same which is a positive ideology for Canadian women

Bibliography

1. ‘Birth-control Pill Turns 50 | CBC News.’ CBC news. May 10, 2010. Accessed January 06, 2019. https://www.cbc.ca/news/birth-control-pill-turns-50-1.908892 (Secondary Source)
2. ‘Emotional and Physical Reactions to Violence and Abuse.’ Our Bodies Ourselves. Access’Abortion Issue, Ten Years Later – CBC Archives.’ CBC news. Accessed January 17, 2019 https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/abortion-issue-ten-years-later (Primary Source)
3. Landers, Jeff. ‘What Are The Financial And Legal Advantages Of Being First To File For Divorce?’ Forbes. March 26, 2013. Accessed January 17, 2019. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jefflanders/2013/03/26/what-are-the-financial-and-legal-advantages-of-being-first-to-file-for-divorce/#45654943ac07 (Secondary Source)
4. Mary F. Bishop. ‘Birth Control.’ The Canadian Encyclopedia. Accessed January 06, 2019. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/birth-control (Secondary Source)
5. Mitchell, Penni. Women’s Rights. Nova Scotia: Fernwood Publishing, 2015. (Secondary Source)