Spock, Birth Control, Spaghetti Monsters.

I know I'm a little late to the party on these issues, but I wanted to get my opinion out there. Why? Because I think it's a rational, well thought out opinion. I'm not singing my own praises here, I've just taken the time to think about it logically. Call me the Spock of Women's Health. LOGICAL APPROACH PEOPLE.  As always, the thoughts expressed in my blog are MY OPINIONS and should be taken as such. I'm not telling you what to do. I am just telling you how I decide what I do. (In a very Spock-esque manner.)

Without further ado, my nonexistent readers, my personal opinion on the current "War on Women" or the Birth Control/Mandate/Abortion/etc debate with a little LGBTQ opinion thrown in for good measure. (EDIT: I decided after writing about birth control that I didn't want to write about abortion in too much detail. Sorry!)

Let's begin with the natural starting point, Birth Control. Because without talking about actual prevention, there's no point in talking about what comes next - abortion. 

The counter argument has never made sense to me. Why? Because I have faith in people. I trust people to make the right decision for themselves in their own situation and their own lives. I want INDIVIDUALS to make those decisions, not a business.. or a corporation.. or whatever provides my health insurance. (Full disclosure, I am currently uninsured and purchase my own birth control without any sort of coverage. Which means I pay full price. FULL PRICE. I must really want it, huh? God, I'm such a slut - according to Rush.)

Let's look at what the constitution says.  (More full disclosure, I am not a constitutional scholar nor do I want to be. I am an office professional (at the moment) with a B.M. in Voice Performance.) 

  Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.  First Amendment, US Constitution

Ok. That's pretty broad, as an awful lot of the constitution is. But I can see some clear points. No laws allowed establishing a religion. Ok, fine. No one's trying to say that OMG YOU WILL BE A CATHOLIC OR WE WILL BURN YOU! No prohibiting free exercise of religion. Ok. Fine. No one's forcing anyone to put a pill in their mouth or shove a IUD up their hoo-ha when they don't want to. I'd like to see someone try. Wait.. no I wouldn't.

My basic problem with people getting red in the face about the President wanting everyone to have access to free birth control is this: No one is forcing an individual to take advantage of that coverage. I could understand the Catholic church's view if we were sending out hordes of people with torches to make sure you took your birth control pill tonight. (DID I TAKE IT LAST NIGHT? Oh ya. I did. Because I'm a fucking responsible adult and deserve access to whatever medication my doctor deems necessary/beneficial to my goddamn health, Rick Santorum. Good riddance.) If you're catholic, female, and believe that the PILL is an abomination? Don't get a prescription and fill it. It's that easy.

And anyway, hordes of people with torches should be reserved for important things. Like bars that run out of beer. Or Mexican restaurants that charge for chips and salsa. I mean, WHO DOES THAT?

Another problem I have is that we're basically assigning a "religion" to companies, corporations, and businesses that provide health insurance; whether that be an employing company or a private health insurance company.  Yes, the CEO of that company has a religion (or lack of one). The company? Not a person. It is a collection of people with differing backgrounds/opinions/and yes, religions. Would it be right to impose that religious belief on your company? In my opinion, no. 

What if, for the sake of argument, that the CEO of Wendy's decided that it was suddenly against his faith (Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster) to provide his employees with maternity care? Because the Spaghetti Monster doesn't believe in children at all, as the world is ridiculously overpopulated. Should it be an option to deny his employees maternity care coverage? No.  Or maybe the great and almighty Spaghetti Monster doesn't think that you need to have your broken arm set because the REAL AND SPIRITUAL arms are spaghetti and should be bendy like a noodle anyway? Ok.. before I get any more ridiculous let's move on.

I've seen this point in the news before.. But Corporations are NOT people. And you can't impose your beliefs on the collection of people that make up your organization (even if it is based in a church. Shut up. I've worked in Episcopal Churches, Baptist Churches, Jewish Temples, Lutheran Churches, etc. And guess what? I identify with NONE of those denominations/religions. Surprise! Not all your employees believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster as fervently as you do.)

Now.. Having said that. I respect the decision of some churches to completely stop offering health insurance altogether if they are "forced" to provide contraceptive coverage. You have the right to piss off your entire workforce (especially the ladies.) and be a douchebag. Yes, you have that right.

I guess I've made my opinion clear on this point. I support providing/demanding free contraceptive coverage as a requirement on health insurance plans, even though I do not currently have health insurance. Because if I did, I'd want it. And I'd want everyone to have it that WANTS it. Because none of us want to end up like the Duggars. Except those of you who want your own TV show. Enjoy.

I've decided I don't want to talk about abortion.. Sorry if you were looking forward to that. I'll put my opinion down for posterity and MAYBE take it back up as a blog topic in the future if I feel so led.

My view: I am pro-life for myself and pro-choice for everyone else. Do what you want. It's your life. You have the option to ruin it any way you choose.

Ok, last topic I promise.

GAY marriage! (or non-traditional human marriages, as not all women who marry women identify as gay. They might be bi.. And what do we do about those pesky trans people? Let's go with non-traditional.)

I AM SO FOR THIS! Two happy people should be happy together in whatever way they want to be!! I understand why people have a problem with calling it a "marriage." But seriously.. get with it. Catch up to 2012. Let's call it a Funrriage. Then everyone will want on THAT train.  I guess what I don't understand is people having a problem with something that DOES NOT INVOLVE THEM WHATSOEVER.  Do you get up in arms about your neighbors having pizza on Thursday when Thursday is usually chili night? No. Because it doesn't fucking matter to you. Their "non traditional" meal is next door, being enjoyed by people that wanted pizza. STAY OUT OF IT. Don't form a picket line outside their house and demand the return of their traditional chili-values. Stay out of their lives. And trust me, they (this food metaphor is really starting to cloud my head) think that that chicken salad you're having at your house is JUST AS GROSS as you think their pizza is. STOP POKING YOUR NOSE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES/BEDROOMS.

Ok.. enough for today. I doubt anyone will read this, but it's good for me to flesh out my own opinions for myself. If only for myself.

Carry on,
Jess

PS: Again, my opinion.