Share Your Story or Your Mother's Story about the Challenges of Accessing Birth Control

I am against both for ecoinmoc & constitutional arguments.First there are far better ways to save money in the long run than to get involved in the Federal government providing contraception. That is a state issue. If states want to provide contraception that is their decision. It is not my responsibility as a federal taxpayer to do so. It is not the job of the federal government in general to provide birth control or counseling services either.Second you are making an assumption about my stance on abortion. I despise it but understand that even with a federal ban it would still occur. I actually favor both abstinance & contraceptive education. Neither of which I believe the Federal government should provide. I also believe Roe v. Wade should be overturned and states should be given the right to choose.What I object to fervently is our government paying for abortions around the world or getting involved in fertility decisions overseas. Again not my responsibility as a taxpayer, not the federal governments responsibility under the Constitution.

On February 1, 2009, my boyfriend and I moved across the country, from Washington D.C. to Oakalnd, CA.  That month -- and the state of California -- later turned out to be the worst 30-day period for job loss, new unemployment claims, and home foreclosures in the Great Recession.  But as idealistic 20-somethings, of course, we didn't think twice about these economic indicators.  We quit our progressive politics jobs in DC, sold our furniture and packed the rest of our posessions into the Ford Fusion, and drove out to Cali.  It had always been my dream to live in the San Francisco Bay Area, so we struggled to make it for the first few months.  Spending our last savings on the security-deposit and first month's rent for an apartment in Oakland was pretty scary.  Sleeping on an air mattress with no other furniture was pretty scary.  Applying for dozens of low-paying entry-level jobs like pizza deliverypeople, cafe cashiers, bar-backs, restaurant servers, and door-to-door canvassers -- and being rejected most of the time -- was pretty scary.  Applying for food stamp benefits and being rejected because our patchwork of part-time jobs put us just above the absurdly-low "official" poverty line, was pretty scary.  Although we were both priveledged, middle class kids with BA degrees and supportive families, it felt for the first time like we were adults in over our heads, without any safety net or bumper to cushion us.Amidst this crisis, one of the only bright spots was the healthcare I received from a Planned Parenthood affiliate.  Already near-tears on a daily basis over the overwhelming costs of our rent, groceries, utilities, and gas for the car that we needed for our job searches, I realized I was running out of birth control pills.  The last thing that would've been right or responsible, when we could barely keep a roof over our heads, would be to risk getting pregnant.  Of course, neither my boyfriend nor I had health insurance, and the experience being rejected for Food Stamps made me very reluctant to navigate the confusing system of MediCal. In a panic, I Googled for Planned Parenthood clinic in the area, and called for an appointment. "No problem," the receptionist said, booking me in for an OB/Gyn appointment, pap smear, and birth control screening later that week, and giving me patient, clear directions to the clinic.  When I entered the clinic, the cheerful murals of mutiethnic women on the walls immediately cheered me.  The supportive, empathetic attitude of the receptionist was even better.  She gave me clear directions about how to fill out the form to have MediCal cover my oral conraceptives.  Finally, a professional, gentle gynecologist gave me my pelvic exam and reassured me that everything was ok and I was a healthy young woman. Needless to say, I sobbed with relief.I don't know what was the most important thing Planned Parenthood gave to me that day in 2009 -- a free 3-month supply of birth control pills, a clean bill of health, and restored confidence that I could really "do this" whole independent-young-adult-life-thing.  But I do know that I will never forget the intense feeling of desperation at not being able to control my own reproductive health, and the feeling of empowerment when Planned Parenthood enabled me to do so.  And I know that I will NEVER stop fighting until ALL American women, regardless of socioeconomic status, will be able access the same right to respect, self-determination, and reproductive helath and freedom. 

 At age fifteen, I learned about "French" kissing from a priest in the confessional and as a young "nerd girl scientist" vowed to "sleep with 100 men before I'd marry one" because all were ignorant of women and our rights to be free humans.   As I got away from school and parental supervision, as the first of 8 children, I became a "Mom" for almost every young friend I had.  This included helping a few find abortions, a nasty business that NO ONE EVER WANTS, so I became a big fan of condoms. I taught women how to put them on with demos using vegetables.  I also got good at talking about sex and the issues surrounding pregnancy and "the clap" and other diseases. Then Roe vs Wade happened  I lived in a community where we pioneered the home birth movement in America and proved home birth was safer than any hospital.   For ten years, our community had 500 children under I0 years of age.  I learned more about fear of pregnancy and fear of bad abortions as hundreds of women came to stay for a few weeks and deliver in the peaceful oak woods of Tennessee.  The community is still there, called The Farm d0t org. I was still infertile, due to a miscarriage at age 19 that was "cleaned up" at a Catholic Hospital by a D&C that actually gave me a massive infection scarring my tubes until age 37 when I had tubal repair & birthed my first daughter within the year.  Then I read an article about AIDS in which the official statement to "dispel fears" was that "this is found to be a gay men's disease" and declaring that "you can't get AIDS from a drinking glass".It was 1984. Horrified that any medical science persons anywhere would think that diseases have ideologies, and could CHOOSE gay people to infect, or men over women, I thought of away to prevent the diseases until we could find a "CURE".   This was inverse logic of male condoms.  REARGUARD Anal protection is held in place by straps or underpants.The GREAT BARRIER Brief, called JANESWAY Panty Condom*** is built to fit the inside of a woman, not the outside of a man. I had a second daughter just before turning 40 and had my one tube tied off the next day, knowing I'd be fertile for  over a decade more.  Now I was single, but there was AIDS! And for some reason, NOT ONE WOMAN was a CEO in any pharmaceutical company.One corporate male after another said women did not need this, and were not getting AIDS anyway.   The Food and Drug Administration refused to issue a permit to manufacture the Panty Condom, and none of the people who were "helping" at the time would allow ANY MENTION of the REARGUARD Anal for fear of stigmatizing the JANESWAY Panty Condom by association.  After a five year delay, the US Patent issued and a National Institute of Health grant issued during the CLINTON Administation allowing a clinical trial to take place in California.  No samples were allowed to anyone!!!!  It might HARM SOMEONE was the reason given, even though the use of latex between partners during sex was well documented!  Even though we were in the AIDS epidemic..... certainly more dangerous than LATEX! WHEN will the public notice the OLD WAR CRIMES of the WAR on WOMEN?    Basic facts: Our Government & MANY private individuals funded Big pHARMA to CURE AIDS. Much money was spent on research but NOT TESTED on WOMEN!  NO medicines were tested on women for about ten years of copious input of funds.  Women still have NO PROTECTION beyond talking men into male condoms. The US WAR on WOMEN began in earnest during the BUSH Administration with the first day announcement of funding cuts in foreign aid, known as the Gag Rule, and then NIH FUNDING GUIDELINES were demoted to EXCLUDE ALL FUNDING for women, especially for contraception and prophylaxis, effectively red-taping GREAT BARRIER Brief 3-way protection worn by women thus preventing its use. The GREAT BARRIER Brief is a sheet of latex held between a man and woman during sex. FDA refused to issue what was called a 510K allowing any product to be brought to market that is "substantially the same as" and/or "has the same use as" products already on the market.  Latex between humans is abundantly documented. De-regulation of all barrier methods is essential. Dr. Malcolm Potts, noted worldwide as an educator on contraception, had this to say:On common sense grounds, JANESWAY*** is easy to understand, difficult to misuse, and should prove exceedingly effective (to prevent pregnancy and disease) ...plus it has a sexy element to it. -- Dr. Malcolm Potts, UC Berkeley Chairman of Bixby. (online at janesway.net/faq/index.htm ) More WOMEN dead from AIDS than Men from WAR1984 - 2010 RIP This could have been prevented by assisting the development of the GREAT BARRIER Brief 3-way Protection worn by women., which would save LIVES and as with any disease, PREVENTION is more economical and compassionate than cure for any health care plan.  PROTECTION for WOMEN must be made available, not just for equality but because women get all STDs 20 to 200% easier than men.  The statistics kept by Center for Disease Control*  show who is LIVING with HIV/AIDS and nowhere can anyone actually see how many people DIED, and the statistics LOOK LIKE hardly any women have it, especially if one just reads the graphics. >>~~~>  ATTENTION ALL re: WAR on WOMENWomen buy 63% of male condoms seeking protection, not contraception. THAT comes in chemicals put into OUR bodies!  Often WITH side effects, sad to say, including that More WOMEN dead from AIDS than Men from WAR 1984 - 2010 RIPLatex is 4th most renewable substance in the world.  Everyone should have access to it and it biodegrades easily.Once people know, we organize and create licensed COOPERATIVES and make our protections ourselves. We give latex to those we love.               No corporate licenses to manufacture will be issued, to avoid others making profits from women and sex!!!There are petition to sign and share, to educate everyone, but this is a long slow learning curve for younger people who were not around during the onset of the AIDS epidemic.  Even then there was much conversation but NO investigation about all those funds from all those organizations for and non-profit and were those funds being used in a good way?  A BUNDLE OF MONEY was made by all as people died, and lots of them were mothers and sisters and wives.... No more corporate mark-up on our private lives!!! Fern Fedora  signing for women everywhere.  for7thgen@post.com  Fern Fedora is the public spokesperson on Face book**Petition:http://signon.org/sign/the-great-barrier-brief?source=c.fwd&r_by=3149686 PS  ***JANESWAY Panty Condom was the name used when a NATIONAL INSTITUTE of HEALTH GRANT issued during CLINTON Admin.         See it here:  JANESWAY d0t net    HOW to DO SOMETHING:: Tell HILLARY CLINTON thank you, let her know we need this!! She may not have ever known this happened while she was in the White House, but women should thank her anyhow! 

When I moved to CA in 1954 I was a divorced mother of one.  After I was able to find a job working in an office,  I had to have an physical examination and provide a letter from a doctor that I was not pregnant, even though I was living alone. A few years later I married again and did become pregnant and was also working in an office.  However the day I wore a very neat  maternity top to work I was told my services were no longer needed as my boss did not care to work with a pregnant woman.  Incidentally, he and his wife had several children of their own.