After the 2024 election, there is a growing fear after someone with multiple allegations of sexual misconduct won the presidency of the United States. What does this mean for women in America? Especially considering that Texas has imposed restricted access to reproductive health care, including a ban on abortion at the six-week mark, with no exceptions for rape or incest. Let’s be real—personally, my period isn’t always regular, and I wouldn’t think twice if it was a little late. I also decided to stop taking birth control because I wasn’t happy with the results. It was my choice, and I don’t regret it, but it’s very scary to think that, despite doing everything right, things could still go wrong. Not having access to reproductive health care is outrageous.
There do not seem to be many options available. For instance, if you don’t want to use birth control, the next best option is condoms, but their typical use is only about 85% effective. If they’re not used or stored correctly, the risk of failure increases. If all else fails, one would think you just take emergency contraception however, what they don’t tell you is weight, other medicines, timing, etc. have a bigger role to play in its effectiveness. Well, shit. Should women simply abstain? Even in a perfect world, this would never work, and if one were to get pregnant, it would still blame women.
The main agenda of the pro-life movement advocates for the life of the child yet does not consider the life of the mother. All that is heard in this belief is about protecting only the unborn FETUS instead of trying to get ahead of the problem that is reproductive healthcare. Planned Parenthood, in its mission statement, says it wants to provide medically accurate education that will help advance understanding of human sexuality, healthy relationships, and body autonomy. Allocating the proper funding to these institutions, like Planned Parenthood, that are trying to get ahead of the problem would create a solution for both sides. Many of my peers utilized the Planned Parenthood organization because of the ability to attain free birth control, STD testing, cancer screening, and the list goes on.
I bet you are sitting here wondering, how can I get involved? There are a plethora of ways to make a difference in advocating for women’s reproductive rights. The first is simply signing up for Planned Parenthood’s email alerts that will keep you on top of the breaking news in the world of reproductive health and rights. The second is making a donation; they even have this very cool feature that allows one to set up monthly payments. If you’re not as financially stable, like me, donating your time by volunteering has just as much of an impact. These are only a few of the ways that you can help, and there are many other organizations to choose from. The most crucial step is simply realizing that we have the power to make a change.
No human being should ever have to struggle to find access to any healthcare.
Image- UCLA Newsroom
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