The US Supreme Courts, all men, have recently ruled that bosses no longer have to cover birth control with company provided medical insurance.According to the Chicago Tribune on June 30th, "In a 5-4 vote on ideological lines, the justices said that such companies can seek an exemption from the so-called birth control mandate of the law known as Obamacare. The decision, which applies only to companies owned by a small number of individuals, means employees of those companies will have to obtain certain forms of birth control from other sources."
This is not only bad news for the right for women to make their own medical decisions that Obama had fought two years for. The problem with the 5-4 ruling runs much deeper.
In an already overpopulated world, birth control helps women plan adequately for their families. It allows a woman, a lot of them mothers, to make careful decisions about if and when they have children and how many.
In a letter to the US Supreme Justice, MomsRising.org stated, "the economic security and health of mothers and families across our nation are dependent on mothers' ability to control how many children to have, and when to have them."
If birth control is no longer easily accessible, the amount of unplanned pregnancies will inevitably rise creating financial hardships, emotional stress and in some severe cases even death. Men and women may be forced with making the heartbreaking and difficult decision between bringing an unplanned child into the world, whether they can afford it or not, or abortion (which isn't covered either).On average, it takes $226,950.00 to raise a child from birth to 18 in the US as of 2010. This sum does not include college or unforeseen medical expenses. In some states, just one year of childcare cost more than one year of college.
Although this new ruling only applies to small businesses that believe that the Affordable Care Act, a.k.a. Obamacare, violates their religious freedom it still throws a wrench in the proverbial wheel of this nation. Studies show that in the US, about 99% of woman have used birth control at some point.Statistics aside, in the Home of the Free, women should have the right to make decisions on their own. This especially applies to something as intimate as having a baby or not.
The discussion on whether or not to bring a new shining life into the world or not is a conversation between partners - not between boss and employee.
