The Fight For Our Rights

Last week we discussed the patriarchy, but this week I want to open up our discussion to the issues that come as a result of the patriarchy… and the issues we face as women in general. We know that men are favored in our society, but how they’re allowed to dictate what we do with our bodies is what I’ll never understand.  

Before I left for college my mom insisted that I start birth control. I was furious at her. I wasn't having sex so why should I have to put a metal rod in my arm or a little anchor up my uterus or take a pill that was going to make me gain 30 pounds and bring all my acne back? I settled on the pill and sure enough, was thankful for it when I started having sex, but now it’s been three years and absolutely everything is different from when I made that decision.

As I got older, and especially after I experienced abuse, it became increasingly important for me to understand my rights and feel like I had control over my body. It’s in the past two years that I’ve realized how flawed our medical and legal systems truly are. 

I was at home, sitting on the couch in our office when I found out they overturned Roe v. Wade. I sat there and cried. I was just starting to become a woman and they were already taking away my rights. I was fortunate enough to grow up in New Jersey, where the laws favor women’s rights and autonomy, but what about all those other women all over the world who didn’t have access or couldn’t get to a safe state like mine? How was I supposed to be open about sex and womanhood and safety when the government was telling me that none of that mattered? 

It was around the same time that I started anxiety suppressants. The only feelings I was having at the time were grief, anxiety, and obsession; it was unbearable and I knew I needed something to help me. So, I start this medicine and it feels like it’s working and I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But now all of a sudden I’ve gone from having no period to bleeding every other week? The only explanation is the new medicine; I figure it must be interacting with my birth control, but my body will get used to it. Months go by and it’s still happening. I can't find any information about either medicine and my doctor can’t seem to explain it, so I want answers. I go online and spend hours looking through clinical trials and reports. Lo and behold, there is jack shit about how this medicine interacts with women on birth control. I dig further and I realize there is barely any information on how any anxiety suppressants or antidepressants interact with birth control. A ton of women are on birth control, which often has mental health effects, so it doesn't make sense to me why I’m fighting so hard to find any information. 

Three months ago I started Accutane. My acne was painful, my skin was incredibly sensitive, and I was the most insecure I have ever been. Accutane is brutal on your liver, dries out your entire body, and comes with a novel worth of side effects… but what was I worried about? How it was going to interact with my birth control. I of course went back to the internet and I’m sure you can guess what I found: jack shit. It’s made extremely clear that when on Accutane you need to use two primary forms of birth control because the medicine could cause serious birth defects. You would think that given this information they would tell you how it’s going to interact with your birth control or affect your reproductive organs, but of course, they don’t. 

Drug development is tested predominantly on men. Our legal system is constructed of mostly men. A lot of our most common birth control methods were invented by men. I’m sick of feeling like taking care of my own body is a losing battle. I’m sick of feeling like all the important industries care about me less because I'm a woman. I’m sick of fighting for the basic rights that I deserve as a human. I usually try to end with a positive sentiment, but this is one of those weeks where I’m encouraging you to get angry. I hope you’re mad that the research doesn't include us. I hope you’re mad that men are dictating women’s healthcare. I hope you’re mad that our rights are in danger.  We all have the right to understand what is happening in our bodies and we should never feel the threat of losing our autonomy.