Birth Control Why I Am in Favor

¶ … Birth control [...] why I am in favor of birth control for women. Birth control is certainly a personal choice, and it should be a personal choice, not a societal or religious choice. Ultimately, the choice to have a child should rest between a man and a woman, and not in the mores of a society or outdated religious beliefs. Those who raise a child should be the ones to decide whether they have a child or not.

In Support of Birth Control

I am in support of birth control for a number of reasons. First, it is a safe alternative to unwanted pregnancies. Teen pregnancy is down in America today, however, teen pregnancy is still an enormous problem, with over 1 million teens getting pregnant every year ("Gift of Life"). This is an enormous number of young women giving birth to mostly unwanted babies, and birth control could have saved these women from an unwanted pregnancy, and saved the children from what could very well be a life of poverty and hardship. It is well-known most unwed mothers fall under the poverty levels in our country, and it is quite difficult for them, or their children, to climb out of poverty and into the middle class. In fact, one expert sadly notes, "They [unwed mothers] see career or economic opportunities as out of their reach and have little motivation to remain abstinent and delay pregnancy and parenting" (Sawhill). Many experts and religious leaders feel abstinence is the only form of birth control that should be discussed, especially where teens and young adults are concerned, but most people agree, abstinence is not realistic, and so, birth control options should be available for anyone who chooses them, young or old alike. As one researcher notes, "If we stop at abstinence, we are discriminating against the other young people, close to 85% of them around the country, who for reasons that are often outside their control, are sexually active" (Arons 1093). Birth control should be an option not only for sexually active teens, but also for anyone who wishes to limit the size of their family, and they should not have to argue with their Church or society mores in order to make their own personal choice.

Birth control is readily available in most communities, but for many, the stigma of visiting a clinic or their family doctor is too much for them. Many young women find it difficult to visit a birth control clinic, even though a clinic may be available in their area. One researcher stated, "In fact, a fear of pregnancy often triggers the first visit to a family planning clinic. [...] Evidence also shows that most teenagers who decide to have sex will forego using birth control if it is difficult to obtain, but they will not stop having sex" (Arons 1093). Not using birth control when it is available is simply asking for trouble, especially when birth control is so easy to find today. Not using birth control is not taking control over your own life, and the choices you make, and this is another reason I personally support birth control. In an age where we are bombarded by sex and sexuality on television, in film, and in music, a person must make personal choices about their sexuality, and often at a young age because of peer and media pressure. Not using birth control is a choice, but it is a poor choice. Using birth control is the adult thing to do, and can save heartache and grief in the end.