April 24, 2007

Mea Culpa

Mistakes are learning opportunities. My last article on the subject of birth control pills for Unscripted (the childfree ezine) had a flaw in it, more an error of omission. This was a first issue that they immplented a new reader comment feature and was a good move on their part. A reader called it to our attention.

Purple WomenTM and Men are natural proponents of birth control. If there is one unifying issue to define our movement, that would be it. Many will not share my opinion that we should protect a woman's right to an abortion; however, we can have a civil dialogue about it.

Since I had my permanent solution, a partial hysterectomy (ovaries in tact and hopefully still functioning) in 1992, my personal knowledge of the birth control offerings was vague due to lack of necessity. Lucky me, because it's a quagmire of choices.
My first story for Unscripted was on the new device and procedure for sterilization available to women: Essure. No two women are the same and there is an option for every body type and life situation. In my research, I marveled at the usefulness and the controversies surrounding EC, the Emergency Contraception that was developed as a last resort pill to be taken the morning after unprotected intercourse.

My mistake was in not understanding how EC works. EC prevents fertilization. This is of monument significance as pro-lifers must be satisfied that no life is lost. EC works before life begins. Now if we could just eliminate the barriers to it, such as cost and access. Every sexually active female should have one in her medicine cabinet.

[Flickr photo
by missjasmine.]

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I completely agree with you, having had to use EC once myself (due to condom breakage). We *must* work to improve access to this. Isn't the goal on both sides to reduce the number of abortions? Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Anonymous said...

Oh and is that a pot of something from Lush I see on the shelf there? :-)