Yesterday, Jack Cafferty stated on CNN that "Viagra is used to treat a medical condition, erectile dysfunction. Birth control is a lifestyle choice."
Grrrr.....
If you would like to express your outrage, you can contact CNN here.
I know I did.
UPDATE POST COMMENTS:
Oh looky I sparked a debate! How fun! ;)
My first problem with this comment is like Elizabeth mentioned birth control is often used to treat medical conditions. I remember the shame I felt as a young 14-year-old who had been put on bc for cramps when my male Sunday School teacher proclaimed the only reason to be on bc is if you wanted to have premarital sex. So, his complete ignorance of women's conditions is my first major beef with Mr. Cafferty.
Second, I feel like there is a sexist undercurrent in our society that is reflected in that comment. Our society still defines true success for a woman as married with children. Now, in the last 20 years, we've expanded the definition a bit to allow for some career achievement, but at the end of the day if you are not married with children something is wrong. It's assumed single women want to get married. It's assumed married women want to have children.
So, I feel like what Mr. Cafferty is saying is, "Look if you want to flout our social norms and have sex without being married or be married and remain childless, then fine - but you're on your own!"
I feel like fertility is something that our society (at least medically) has decided for better for worse to treat as a medical condition that can be avoided with medication. So, every women no matter what her "lifesytle choices" should have equal access to that medication.
Friday, July 18, 2008
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3 comments:
Where's the problem with that comment????
Ummm... so sometimes, yes, bc is used to treat medical conditions, but it is also sometime used as a lifestyle choice. Not having children would be a lifestyle choice, No? Also, husband informed me just now that Viagra is also used to treat pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs -- which can kill you). There are plenty of women who can function just fine without bc, they just run the risk of getting pg, which is actually their bodies working CORRECTLY, and doesn't technically need treatment. As it would be considered a good situation, evolutionarily. Ya know, just to play devil's advocate :)
Additionally, if this comment was in response to Health insurance covering ED treatments and NOT covering BC, it could be made possible to cover it if it is being used for a medically necessary reason, however, this is done for eyelifts. If you have skin that causes you to have trouble seeing, your insurance will cover an eyelift, and let me tell you, I watched a couple of blepharoplastys that were NOT medically necesssary, but the MD's check the right icd-9 codes and insurance pays on it. Sorry so much commenting.
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