Letters

It is apparent that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling of last June leaving abortion rights up to the states will be the rule of the land for decades to come. So I think it’s time for us to shift our focus to the right that a woman has that still remains very much in her control, which is her ability to use contraception if she chooses not to get pregnant.

Much like the #MeToo movement has been extremely effective in empowering women, so could an #IHaveControl movement be effective in motivating women to take more control of their reproductive rights.

The media is plagued by advertisements that peddle drugs, encouraging people to talk to their doctors about them. An increase in advertising promoting birth control products could also be effective in encouraging women to speak to their doctors and become more informed as to how to control pregnancy.

This week, an over-the-counter birth control pill was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It contains only progestin, which is safer for women with other medical problems than other combination products. The downside to progestin-only pills is that they need to be taken at essentially the same time of day in order to be most effective.

An #IHaveControl movement could educate women about such forms of birth control. It could also elicit donations to fund reproductive health care for less advantaged women through organizations like Planned Parenthood or local community health centers.

Now is the time to prioritize women’s ability to access healthy, safe and effective birth control, so that abortions, which many can no longer easily access, and have always been a last resort, will not be necessary.

Paula Angelone, Ph.D.

Southampton Village