To me, this photo- taken from a twitter post shared with the #HandsOffMyBC tag- totally embodies what many pro-choice, Trump supporters, and anti Planned Parenthood folks feel about providing birth control for women- particularly women who do not represent successful or deserving citizens- immigrants, poor women, WOC, unmarried women, LGBTQ, etc.. To them, birth control seems to align with free abortions instead of contraceptive and preventative care. Though birth control can also include abortion services, providing funding and no cost birth control- such as the pill- can also mean health benefits that have nothing to do with birth/fertility prevention and/or control (easing cramp pain, reducing blood flow, treating endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, clearing acne, and regulating hormones).
Free or low cost birth control should not read as “mooching” off taxpayers and government funding…it should be seen as a responsible act of prevention. If Viagra and vasectomies are covered under insurance…why shouldn’t reproductive care for women also be covered?
The “need” for birth control is also extremely stigmatized and misrepresented by pro lifers. Sex is automatically linked to getting pregnant, so women are often told: if you don’t want to get pregnant, then just don’t have sex. I think this discourse only continues to stigmatize sex, resulting in negative judgment of those who have sex, labelling them as irresponsible, as “sluts”, or “moochers”. If society changed this discourse, then the provision and funding of birth control and contraceptives would be more easily viewed as responsible rather than scandalous.
Providing birth control and contraceptives would also lower rates of abortion, ironically something pro-lifers would approve of. Taking away accessible birth control seems to be less about saving lives and money and more about keeping marginalizing communities in their place and people of power and privileged continuing to have a say in who does what with their bodies.