what if you couldn't get contraceptives in some states?

[niyad]

What If You Couldn't Get Contraceptives In Some States?


Late Friday night, a last-minute Congressional deal averted a government shut-down, and did not include proposed cuts to Title X funding. This was much to the disappointment of Republicans who were adamantly pushing for an end to federal funding for Planned Parenthood, a women's health organization that does provide abortion services, but by law can't use federal money for these procedures. The Title X funds are used for family-planning services for low-income women, and slashing them out have been devastating for Planned Parenthood's ability to provide these crucial services.

As Robin Marty points out in a piece for RHRealityCheck, however, the battle may be far from over. The Wall Street Journal reported that in discussions, the GOP was pushing to turn TItle X into block grants for states, giving governors discretion in how they use the funds. This, Democrats argued, would be equally detrimental for Planned Parenthood, since it would allow conservative governors to direct funds elsewhere, leading, in effect, to states with family-planning clinics that could, theoretically, not provide contraceptives.

The vision that Robin sets out is bleak:

"There will no longer be a place for a women to get IUD's birth control pills, implants or shots that offer affordable alternatives or sliding scales. 'Pro-life' physicians will be on hand to tell you that the pill is an abortifacient and cannot be allowed in the center. And because the Catholic Bishops are still refusing to allow birth control to be a preventative drug that insurance will cover, most women will find the prices skyrocketing and the cost of preventing pregnancy astronomical."

We're not there yet. But given the states' recent attempts to restrict abortion and contraceptive access, it's clear that giving more power over women's bodies to state governors could be potentially catastrophic for access to family planning services - which Republicans in Congress and in the states are already intent on decimating.

http://www.care2.com/causes/womens-rights/blog/what-if-you-couldnt-get-contraceptives-in-some-states/