Plan B Still Not Completely Set Free (or Just Another Feminist Post)

I am certain that most of you know by now that the FDA has finally made a decision to release Plan B for over the counter sales, to women age 18 and over. The fight has not ended.

The sub-title of this post is meant to remind all women that our fight for an Equal Standing in this Nation is seen by many as just more ranting and bitching from the feminists. There are people who still wish that we would just shut up already and be grateful for the little morsels of leftover equality that are thrown to us by the majority of our decision makers.

We still do not have equal representation in the Congress.

It seems fitting that some movement towards allowing women control over their own body, and therefore their own destiny, would fall so close to the anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment.

What has really changed for women over the last 158 years since the Seneca Falls Convention? A bold statement was made then and many of the whereas clauses still ring true today.

From the Resolution:

The history of mankind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world...

I recommend that you read the entire Resolution.

…Resolved, That such laws as conflict, in any way, with the true and substantial happiness of woman, are contrary to the great precept of nature and of no validity, for this is "superior in obligation to any other."

Resolved, that all laws which prevent woman from occupying such a station in society as her conscience shall dictate, or which place her in a position inferior to that of man, are contrary to the great precept of nature and therefore of no force or authority.

What must be repeated, today as well as 158 years ago, is the truth about laws that force women to incubate an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy. Anti-choice laws are “such laws as conflict, in any way, with the true and substantial happiness of woman,” and are “laws which prevent woman from occupying such a station in society as her conscience shall dictate, or which place her in a position inferior to that of man,…”

August 26, 2006 has been named “Women’s Equality Day,” by proclamation, from President Bush. (I won’t link to the WH press release; it just bothers me too much.) Isn’t it nice that he can name a day as “Women’s Equality” when his actions at blocking birth control – equal control over her body – are still his primary focus? We don’t want a day, we want control over our entire lives.

What I also found, in researching the 19th Amendment, is a very active petition to repeal the 19th Amendment. I won’t link to that either, it is even more bothersome than the WH. This petition spews such hatred as “women are to blame for government spending and male incarceration…” It really is too disgusting to repeat – but the feelings are out there and they like to use their god to perpetuate this hatred.

So, the fight is not over. I do agree that we should thank the FDA for the little morsel of leftover equality that they threw at us, but I believe that we should remind them in our comments that we will still be fighting for complete release of Plan B.

We will still be fighting retailers to demand that Plan B is made available.

We will still be fighting for the right of young women to have access to Emergency Contraception.

We will still be fighting to make certain the EC is available at military facilities.

We will still fight pharmacies that refuse women access to their prescriptions.

To give up now and surrender to those who prefer that our choices are limited, to celebrate something that science dictated should have been done three years ago, is limiting us to a morsel when we are guaranteed, via existence, the entire 12 course meal.