Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Feeling shameful about birth control
4 comments
By: Anonymous - from the series of guest posts written by Dr. Baldwin's students at Michigan State University.
Shady: That's how I feel when I pick up my monthly birth control. It's odd that one little trip to CVS can leave one so low and degraded. Do I have a boyfriend? Yes. Am I sexually active? No. Do I still feel the impending shame upon visiting my pharmacist? Absolutely. These days I feel as if birth control has such a negative connotation even with its various uses. Yes, many do use it as for the specific reason of its name; birth control. But even then, women are just taking the necessary precautions to protect themselves. Is that so wrong? And the many others who use birth control for medical reasons such as endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, acne, pain, ovarian cancer risks, and regulating their menstrual cycle are simply taking care of themselves . For more serious matters its ridiculous that all women should feel the negative reactions to using it. The truth of the matter is that this invention is helping keep unwanted children off the streets and others in good health. I think society should really take these methods into consideration and change the outlook of birth control. Also, more so than just society, women themselves need to realize the connotation and stop making assumptions as to the reasons their friends and acquaintances are taking birth control. If you were to ask many women what their feelings were on their peers reasons for using birth control many would likely answer for sexual reasons and think lowly upon those users. However, changing the outlook has to start somewhere and truthfully women and teens themselves could make a big difference in this area.
Shady: That's how I feel when I pick up my monthly birth control. It's odd that one little trip to CVS can leave one so low and degraded. Do I have a boyfriend? Yes. Am I sexually active? No. Do I still feel the impending shame upon visiting my pharmacist? Absolutely. These days I feel as if birth control has such a negative connotation even with its various uses. Yes, many do use it as for the specific reason of its name; birth control. But even then, women are just taking the necessary precautions to protect themselves. Is that so wrong? And the many others who use birth control for medical reasons such as endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, acne, pain, ovarian cancer risks, and regulating their menstrual cycle are simply taking care of themselves . For more serious matters its ridiculous that all women should feel the negative reactions to using it. The truth of the matter is that this invention is helping keep unwanted children off the streets and others in good health. I think society should really take these methods into consideration and change the outlook of birth control. Also, more so than just society, women themselves need to realize the connotation and stop making assumptions as to the reasons their friends and acquaintances are taking birth control. If you were to ask many women what their feelings were on their peers reasons for using birth control many would likely answer for sexual reasons and think lowly upon those users. However, changing the outlook has to start somewhere and truthfully women and teens themselves could make a big difference in this area.
Posts
February 15, 2010 at 11:21 PM
I have been on birth control for about a year now. Yes, I have been sexually active in the past; however that is not the reason I went on it. It was recommended by my doctor to help regulate my body. However, when my alarm goes off at 8:30 every night as a reminder to take the little blue pill, my friends continue to make false remarks about the reasons I am on it. My family was a little shocked that I went on it, assuming I had slut-like tendencies. This is the assumption most people hold against me. Many are shocked to find out that I am on it; however most girls my size and with my athletic build are on birth control.I wish more people would quit assuming the negative when the mention of birth control comes up.
February 17, 2010 at 7:43 PM
I really wish there wasn't this connotation that comes with using birth control. I know that it would make me feel a lot healthier and better overall if I was allowed to take birth control. The number one reason I have never talked to my doctor about it is because of my mom. I have been told by 2 specialists that it would be beneficial if I took the pill, however my mom would never consent to it. I am over 18, so I can go about to get birth control. I wouldn't go against my parents will, though. They have heard of the stories of girls who have taken the pill just to have safe sex, and they don't want people to think that would be me. I feel more teenagers are accepting the fact that it is ok to take the pill, but there will always be people who judge. Hopefully someday less and less girls will be judged if they take birth control.
February 22, 2010 at 5:12 PM
Maybe birth control should be called something else. Although it ultimately, prevents possible births, many women do not use it for that reason. But I think even with a name change, there would still be negative associations with the drug. Many of my friends are "on the pill" for various reasons, ranging from being able to control the terrible craps they get to calming down their facial acne. I think it is totally unreasonable to judge or make assumptions about a person for taking birth control - but in this society, judgments and assumptions are inevitable. In this case, the best thing to do is ignore the negativity.
February 22, 2010 at 10:18 PM
Im not sure that i ever really realized the negative connotation of birth control until I realized how reluctant my mother was to putting me on it for my menstural cycles. I was only 14 years old when I started using it, and it has helped me emmesely. But I could tell that my mother was almost embarrassed that I was already on it, and perhaps nervous that I was now going to start having sex? Well I can promise that this was not the case, and I used it strictly for medical reasons. I also wish that people didn't put such a negative connotation with it because I dont feel it is something I should be embarrassed about.