Jennifer Bringle - Reproductive Rights

Reproductive
Rights

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES

A YOUNG WOMANS GUIDE
TO CONTEMPORARY ISSUES

Reproductive
Rights

MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES

JENNIFER BRINGLE

To the JDAD women, who continue to inspire me
with their intelligence and courage

Published in 2015 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2015 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bringle, Jennifer.

Reproductive rights: making the right choices / Jennifer Bringle. 1st ed.
p. cm. (A young womans guide to contemporary issues)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4358-3542-9 (library binding)

1. Reproductive rights United States History. 2. Pregnancy, Unwanted United States. 3. Birth control United States.

4. Teenage mothers United States. I. Title.

HQ766.5.U5B75 2009

362.1988800973dc22

2009013721

Manufactured in the United States of America

Contents

Introduction

Sex: Choices and Consequences

Exercising Your Reproductive Rights

A Brief History of Reproductive Rights

The Pro-Life Movement

The Pro-Choice Movement

Glossary

For More Information

For Further Reading

Bibliography

Index

INTRODUCTION

E very spring and fall, antiabortion protesters begin their vigil. They make signs and posters, and stand in groups outside health clinics across the nation, voicing their dissent against abortion. The semiannual 40 Days for Life campaign follows the biblical belief that God uses forty-day periods to transform people, communities, and the world. For forty days, they protest. And for those forty days, Planned Parenthoods Emily X faces them.

ABORTION PROTESTERS REPRESENT BOTH SIDES OF THE PRO-CHOICE/ PRO-LIFE DEBATE IN A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE THE SUPREME COURT BUILDING IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Shes the anonymous Planned Parenthood worker who chronicles these protests around the country. She visits clinics, blogs on her Web site, and raises money for Planned Parenthood through pledges, almost like a runner in a charity marathon. Her mission is to help women who feel intimidated by protesters and the message across that the right to choose is important and protected by law.

Both of these groups, the protesters and the people Emily X represents, are symbols of one of the most controversial issues in America: reproductive rights. Reproductive rights is a complex issue that involves not only abortion rights but also access to birth control, health care, and sex education. At the heart of the issue is the basic right of women to make choices about their bodies and control what happens to themwithout the interference of the government.

For every single woman, no matter her age, race, class, religion, or political beliefs, reproductive rights is an issue that is crucial. Women all over the world deserve the right to control their own bodies. In addition, they all have the freedom to decide whether they are pro-choice or pro-life. As a young woman, your place in the fight is particularly important. You represent both the future of womens rights and the future of reproductive rights. The more informed and educated you become on the issue, your body, and your choices, the better equipped you will be to make the decisions that are the best for you.

CHAPTER 1

SEX: CHOICES AND CONSEQUENCES

L ets face it: teens are under a lot of pressure. You get pressure from school, home, and even your friends. A lot of things are expected of you, and sometimes, it can be a little overwhelming. For many teens, theres one type of pressure that can lead you to make what could eventually be a life-or-death decisionwhether or not to have sex. The decision to become sexually active extends much further than the act of losing your virginity. With sex comes a variety of things, both emotional and physical, to take into consideration. How will you feel once you do it? Is your potential partner someone you trust? Are you in a solid relationship based on mutual respect and love? How do you protect yourself from pregnancy and disease? These are questions to consider before making your choice. And before you decide whether or not to have sex, you need to be informed about the consequences and how to make your experience a safe one.

MAKING THE CHOICE TO BECOME SEXUALLY ACTIVE MEANS MAKING BIG DECISIONS ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL AND DISCUSSING YOUR OPTIONS WITH YOUR PARTNER.

Many people have fought long and hard to ensure that the women of today have the right to do as they wish with their bodies. One major aspect of that is the right to use birth control. Birth control wasnt always available. For many women of the past, the options were unreliable at best and unhealthy at worst. Women today are fortunate to have many different options when it comes to birth control. And if youre planning on having sex, its essential that you practice safe sex by using some method of birth control. Birth control does much more than prevent pregnancy. It can save your life.

Since there are so many methods of birth control, its important to know the facts about each one so you can decide which is right for you. Remember that many birthcontrol methods have side effects that could be life- threatening. And none of them are 100 percent infallible. So it is always best to see a doctor and make an informed decision before engaging in sexual activity.

BARRIER BIRTH CONTROL METHODS

Barrier birth control methods physically or chemically prevent sperm from entering the uterus. Of all the barrier methods, only the male and female condoms help prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

CONDOMS ARE ONE OF THE EASIEST AND MOST POPULAR METHODS OF BIRTH CONTROL TO USE. SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS PLANNED PARENTHOOD, GIVE CONDOMS AWAY.

CONDOMS

One of the most commonly used forms of birth control is the latex condom. The condom is a latex or plastic sheath worn over the penis during sex. Condoms prevent pregnancy by capturing sperm and preventing it from entering the vagina. And because condoms prevent the passage of body fluids during sex, they also help prevent STDs. According to Planned Parenthood, the way a womans internal sex organs are shaped makes women ten to twenty times more likely than men to get sexually transmitted infections. The cervix in teens and young women is especially vulnerable to infection. So its essential that if youre sexually active, you use a condom every single time you have sex.