Period Control

Margaret Sanger's "Birth Conrol--A Parents' Problem or Woman's?" addressed the historically controversial issue of maternal regulation of infant production. She argues that women have been enslaved by their biological reproductive function, and she alone has the burden of "carrying, bearing and rearing the unwanted children" (139). Yet because the nature of human reproduction requires two parties, she urges that "responsibility of controlling the results should not be placed on the woman alone" (138). Although concluding that birth control is indeed a woman's problem seems to be contradictory to her "persistent urging" that it should not be, it actually highlights an underlying issue in regards to sexual activity that continues today. If consensual, the responsibility of safe sex should fall onto both parties. Logical, right? Unfortunately, because of biology and patriarchy, the responsibility more often than not falls on to the woman.

And you've just gotta love a society with heath care coverages that offer aging men the chance to recover some semblance of their erectile masculinity (Viva Viagra!) yet deny sexually active women of all ages the right to control and regulate their baby makers as they see fit.

Although Sanger's article still (unfortunately) continues to be relevant in the so-called "liberated" twenty-first century in terms of birth control being a "chick" thing, there isn't as much outward social resistance to birth control as there was in her time. Sure, we've got relgious right-wing extremist groups like Army of God who declare that "women using an oral contraceptive are committing abortions on themselves," anti-choice pharmacists that deny medical prescripions on the basis of brainwashed conservatism, and papal denunciations, but for the most part, birth control has become a socially accepted practice. That is, if you're using it to control your periods.

Sarah Haskins, a writer and performer for the 24-hour news channel parody Current has a bi-weekly segment entitled "Target Women." For approximately three minutes, Haskins shows media clips on a specific topic (Yogurt, Weddings, Sarah Palin, Number Two, etc.) and points out how sexist and stereotypical ads are that targeted to women. She did a segment on birth control, and how it's marketed as period rather than baby control: "Fewer periods, yaaay. Now we don't have to leave the tribe and go sit in that hut for a week. That was a bummer." Although satirical in nature, the birth control segment of Target Women illustrates Sanger's main argument that birth control is essentially a woman's problem. However socially accepted period control is now, there continue to be threats against women's control of their bodies. Until sexual responsibility is shared between partners and the religious right dissolves, women's access to affordable birth control and safe abortions will continue to be compromised. Though we still have far to go, it's important to remember that we've come a long way and to continue to fight for Margaret Sanger's reproductive justice: "Woman must not accept; she must challenge."

http://current.com/items/89157733/target_women_birth_control.htm