marzipan-babies6Reproductive rights seems to be one of the most discussed issues of the election amongst women, and it’s not just abortion that’s the topic at hand. Most people seem to think repro rights are all about a woman’s decision not to have a baby via abortion, but there’s more to it than just that. For many women, the issue is about the ability to access birth control as well as the decision to have a baby when they do want to. Surprisingly, having a baby is becoming difficult for some women and it’s not just because of infertility.

Just earlier this year President Bush proposed regulations that would define abortion as any contraceptive that prevent a fertilized egg from implanting, which includes many common birth control pills and emergency contraception (the morning after pill) for rape victims. In addition to this, it is currently legal for pharmacists who believe birth control is wrong to deny giving it to women (keep in mind this includes even condoms for some people.) President Bush is also planning to issue an HHS regulation that would make it illegal for pharmacies to discriminate against pharmacists who would do this. It seems the same groups who are opposed to women terminating unplanned pregnancies are doing everything they can to make sure these unplanned pregnancies happen, which is just wrong on so many different levels.

It is estimated that 98% of American women will use some form of birth control at some point in their lives, meaning these laws will have a negative effect on just about every woman. There are plenty of women and teenagers who use birth control pills not as a means of actual birth control, but as a way to ease menstrual cramps and mood swings when regular treatments, such as Midol, just don’t do the trick. With Obama’s appointment of Senator Hilary Clinton as Secretary of State, though, it looks like we don’t have to worry about such legislation actually being passed. On November 20, Clinton, along with Senator Patty Murray, introduced legislation that would block Bush’s HHS regulation.

On the other side of the issue, there are also acts that would prevent certain women from being able to have babies. There is a law in Virginia which makes it illagal for any unmarried woman to receive artificial conception treatment. While this law was passed targeting lesbian women who are unable to marry in the state, it also affects straight women who are single for any number of reasons. In Georgia, there was a bill proposed that would make in-vitro fertilization illegal for anyone. On a much, much more terrifying level, there are those who wish to bribe women they find unfit for motherhood into being sterilized. From a party who argues against abortion by saying that quality of life shouldn’t matter in determining whether or not a baby should be born, this idea is not only ridiculous but extremely hypocritical. A better solution would be to take the money and put it towards programs that would help these women make the decisions they need to to either prevent the pregnancy in a way that would not affect the rest of their lives or help them take care of their babies should they choose to have them.

The choice to have a baby is a life altering one, and one that women should be able to make for themselves. What these laws imply is that the writers believe women are not capable of making their own decisions when it comes to their ability to raise a child. A woman’s decision to have a baby should be her own, not that of the government.