Birth Control With No Co-Pay

Another success for women! Insurers Must Cover Birth Control Without Co-Pays

Sweet!

In reality, this isn't just a boon for women, it's a boon for everybody. By allowing women to control their bodies, they can better choose for themselves when they are able to have and raise children, allowing them to prevent the single biggest predictor for bankruptcy in the U.S.: having children (see "The Two-Income Trap" - Elizabeth Warren and Amelia Warren Tyagi - I think I've mentioned them from before).

While this falls short of actually helping families who already have or want children, this at least gives women some of the respect and dignity they deserve with regard to their own reproductive organs.

Also included:

Breast pumps for nursing mothers, an annual "well woman" physical, counseling on how to avoid sexually transmitted diseases and other services will also be covered at no cost to the patient.

Fabulous. The legislation even includes religious provisions to satisfy the rabid critics who cry "B-b-b-b-but my God doesn't allow contraception!" Your God also provides for the complete forgiving of ALL debts every seven years (look up Jubilee year) and the proper care for widows and orphans, but I don't see mainstream Christian groups crying in outrage in support of these God's laws.

While I may not be a fan of Washington in general, I have to give Mr. Obama credit for managing to push some very progressive legislation through, from the repeal of DADT to this. His legacy may be murky due to the economic issues, but I think history will judge him a friend to social issues.

More Evidence The Republicans Aren't Helping

UPDATE: Sarah Palin has announced that her daughter-in-law became pregnant before marriage. Considering Bristol's already had her first grandchild, I wonder how secure Palin's opinion of abstinence-only is? Sarah Palin To Be A Grandmother Again

Apparently Governor Rick Perry has a bit of a learning disability: Why Are Texas Teens Getting Pregnant

In 2007, the article states, Texas had the highest teen pregnancy rates in the country. Right after Perry instituted abstinence-only programs for sexual education. Deciding that wasn't good enough, the program continued, and in 2009, 94% of schools had no sex ed beyond abstinence-only.

Now, the pregnancy rate is 50% higher than the national average, and Texas also leads the country in REPEAT teen pregnancies.

I was going to post yesterday about this article (Birth Control Coverage Under Obamacare), but it seems my procrastination paid off this time, as both of these articles address the same thing.

Kids will make smart choices if you give them the tools to. At our cores we are the same animals with the same instincts as those we keep as pets, so we know we are fighting a losing battle when we tell kids not to have sex. Instead of telling them not to, and then pretending not to hear any other possible conversation, is no better than a teenager who wants to explore her sexuality safely but can't because she has no information. Kids need more information, not less.

I'm also a staunch believer that our school's sex ed fails because it fails to address sexuality. We teach biology fine. All things being equal, penis + vagina = baby. But how does penis + vagina = love? Or = pleasure? Or even = orgasm? My parents didn't have that convo with me. Did yours?

We have enough data on programs and services to be able to judge whether or not they are working. Once pollsters have had a chance to question Texans teens on WHY they are having unprotected sex and having children too soon, I suspect most abstinence-only programs will be on their way out.

Unless, of course, as a country we keep electing politicians who prefer holding their hands over their ears and ignoring all evidence that proves that what they are doing isn't working.