Sunday, August 26, 2007

How many GOP women do not use any form of birth control?

It would be interesting to find out how hypocritical these people are.

This presidential campaign we will soon be leaving the pro-life/pro-choice debate behind and start talking about the evils of contraception itself.

Pam Spaulding of Americablog
has the details:

It's been pretty clear that the anti-choice crowd has its sights on not only controlling the womb, but women's sexuality as well. That's why this should scare the bejesus out of women. According to Birth Control Watch, 86 anti-abortion groups are committed to opposing any form of contraception.

Abortion will never end as long as society approves the use of contraception. The practice of contraception means children are unwanted and provides the rationalization for abortion. It is a violation of human dignity to promote or accept the use of contraception.

OK. That extreme view is no surprise. But wait a minute -- there are occupants of the GOP clown car that are equally willing to deny contraception because of their anti-choice views - and they are on the record about it.

Do you want the policies of these men in your bedroom, in your womb, in your doctor's office, at your local pharmacy?

Cristina Page has an excellent piece in the Baltimore Sun that shows just how extreme the views of the GOP candidates are.

Birth Control Watch has more: (my bold)
Eighty six anti-abortion groups have committed to opposing all forms of contraception. Among the groups are Right to Life of Kansas, Pro-Life Ohio, the Life League of New Mexico, North Dakota Right to Life, Connecticut Right to Life, California Right to Life, and the Delaware Pro-life Coalition. However, few of these state's media outlets are covering the groups' opposition to contraception--no matter how eager the groups are to display their extreme agenda. Thus the public doesn't know that their elected officials are pandering to anti-birth control forces in order to secure these groups' support. Yet these groups and their unpopular and dangerous agenda escape notice. Because of this, we'll wake up one day to discover that almost half the candidates running for president are opposed to contraception. Maybe tomorrow?

A study out of France shows once again that the religious right is wrong in its dire warnings of the impact emergency contraception will have on women's sexual choices. Instead of the free-for-all sexapalooza we've been told to brace ourselves for, researchers have discovered the over-the-counter access to EC in France has not had much impact on the amount of sex women have or the number of partners they've have it with. STDs haven't surged to alarming rates either. The only change was a dip in unintended pregnancy rates. Alors, Christian conservatives, time to come to your senses?

A new Zogby poll revealed that 83% of Americans want scientists to continue researching for more birth control methods. Although the same poll found that Americans are satisfied with the birth control choices they have currently, clearly the vast majority of Americans want more birth control access and options. These Americans will be happy to know then that the popular "Sponge," contraceptive was reintroduced to the market this week. It offers women a highly effective over-the-counter birth control option other than the condom. The Sponge was discontinued in 1995 when the manufacturer did not wish to upgrade its factory equipment to satisfy FDA requirements. Synova Healthcare Group secured the rights to the Sponge early this year and, in the process, gave formerly not "sponge-worthy" men new hope.

But don't forget about the pill! We've long known that the birth control pill protects against ovarian cancer, but new research published in International Family Planning Perspectives shows that pills with the lowest hormonal content offer the greatest protection. In fact, depending on the oral contraceptive formulation, the odds of ovarian cancer were reduced by up to 80% among pill users compared to those not on the pill. The lower the dose of one particular progestin, the lower the risk of ovarian cancer. If all women had used some type of birth control pill the study found an estimated four in 10 malignancies might have been avoided; if all had used low-dose pills, that proportion would have been almost three-quarters. Many women believe that if there is no reason to be on the pill other than pregnancy prevention. Not true. And there's no excuse for not making this information widely known now.
Update: Cristia Page of The Huffington Post has more:
In their affair with the "Right to Life" movement, the candidates are being unfaithful to the American public that is devoted to family planning. And like any cheater, they're doing their best to avoid directly answering questions such as: Do you support couples having access to safe and effective birth control options, including emergency contraception?" Considering that even 80 percent of self-described "pro-life" voters and a majority of Republican voters strongly support contraception, these candidates should soon figure out how risky an affair it is.

5 comments:

mapaghimagsik said...

GOP women? Hypocrites? Say it isn't so!

ellroon said...

Lol! The rich can always go to a 'spa' in Switzerland for their ... difficulties. The poor apparently should not be breeding at all but if and when they do, they must have as many babies as possible.

JJ said...

Grrr. We've already got quite a few of the wingnuts up here trashing contraception as well as abortion. "Sterile sex", they call it. Like that's a bad thing?

ellroon said...

I've told this story before, but I was absolutely agape when someone used the word 'selfish' to describe a childless married couple. Selfish? As if raising children was an ordeal you must do, a process you must perform? Can you imagine being raised by such parents?

With overpopulation about to destroy the planet, the idea that couples have to have kids is mind-blowing. We should be giving them a medal...

ellroon said...

And JJ, the wingnuts cannot accept the fact that sex is pleasurable, that sex without fear of pregnancy is wonderful, that birth control is actually helpful to families rather than harmful.

They want the fear, the shame, and the baby as punishment. Bring back the scarlet letter!