gned a legislation last Thursday that rolls back an Obama-era rule protecting certain federal funds for Planned Parenthood and other organizations that provide legal abortions and other forms of birth control. Trump promised during his 2016 campaign that he would reverse the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate, which requires insurance companies to cover birth control without making patients share the cost. However, some states are doing mandates of their own by expanding the accessibility of birth control, including in Colorado. In Raheal Neequaye’s article “Birth Control without required prescription,” she states that Colorado has passed a new state law that would allow women to get birth control pills or patches after a 15 minute consultation with a pharmacist.
We at Cardinal Points support the notion that birth control should be more accessible for women. There are many different circumstances that can prevent women from getting access, such as family restrictions or not having medical insurance. However, it is important that both men and women who are sexually active are remaining safe through forms of birth control whether that’s through the pill, patches or condoms. Some might think that restricting women from birth control will prevent pregnancies and promote abstinence. However, it only makes it more difficult for young women to obtain a safe form of birth control.
When Trump was initiated into presidency, women began posting comments on social media saying to “stock up on Plan B,” and to get the intrauterine device (IUD), which is a little, t-shaped piece of plastic inserted into the uterus to provide birth control. This was because of the fear that Trump will take precautions to prevent women from obtaining free birth control. While, this hasn’t happened yet, it’s still nice to see progressive change at a state level.
