More stupid people on Buzzfeed
Remember a while ago, I ranted about the Buzzfeed photo collection in which atheists and christians at the Bill Nye/Ken Ham debate wrote messages to each other? Well, I discovered a similar one recently. This time, the topic is birth control.
First, the (in my opinion, somewhat reasonable) arguments in favour of the pill.
Now, let's look at what sort of brainless drivel there is to be heard from those opposed to the pill.1. Because I can avoid pregnancy without poisoning my body.
To be absolutely clear, there are ways of preventing pregnancy without taking the pill. There are condoms, female condoms, IUDs, diaphragms, creams, foams, the rhythm method (notice I didn't say that all of them were reliable), and of course, abstinence. But the important thing to understand here is that birth control pills are not poison. There is nothing poisonous about them. They are safe, non-toxic, and healthy. The birth control pill is nothing more than progestin and (usually) estrogen. These are two hormones that your body produces naturally and normally on its own. The fact that these pills contain synthetic versions of these hormones does not change the fact that they are the same chemical substances that your body already makes on its own anyway. How can it be poisonous if your body intentionally creates it?
Here, we get into the issue that many people think that 'artificial' is the same as 'toxic.' Just because it was manufactured instead of produced naturally within your body does not mean that it's different. For example, let's look at the topic of artificial snow. Many ski resorts use artificial snow to increase the quality of skiing options for their guests. They have machines that pump water at freezing temperatures into the air. That water freezes into tiny crystalline flakes which are, chemically (sometimes they'll add nucleating agents to increase efficiency, but it's not necessary) and structurally, identical to snowflakes which result from natural processes. The only difference between the two is that one was intentionally formulated by people. That doesn't make it worse, or less effective, or toxic, or anything else.
It's the same with the pill. It's not poisonous. It was merely created by humans instead of by the body's own natural processes.2. Because even though cramps suck and I get acne, that's a normal part of being women [sic].
You know what else is a normal part of being 'women?' Breast cancer. Cervical cancer. Ectopic pregnancy. Preeclampsia. We can extend our list by opening it up to males as well, and look at some things that are a normal part of being human: birth defects such as harelips, conjoined twins, and radial aplasia; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; lupus; Alzheimer's disease; and so on. Just because it's normal doesn't mean we have to live with it, not when we have the ability, through advanced knowledge and technology, to prevent or assuage these conditions.3. Because it is all worth it.
Ok, this one just doesn't make any damn sense. What is worth it? What is this 'all' of which you speak? It's all worth what?4. B/c my body is a gift to my future husband & that gift includes Motherhood! [sic]
This one really hurts my head.
First of all, the idea that your body is a gift to your future husband? That is some seriously messed up thinking. It smacks of the sort of toxic thought patterns that can only result from a religious mindset. Your body is not a gift to anyone. It is yours. It is part of you. If you want to be subservient to another person, that's fine. That's your choice. I weep for you, in that you think you cannot be a complete and content person unless you belong to someone else, but if you really want that for yourself, I won't stop you. But if you go into marriage with that attitude, you're not likely to have a good one.
Secondly, the idea that taking birth control prevents you from ever being able to have children. When you're ready to be a mother, simply stop taking the pill. It's as simple as that.
Finally, this one has an undercurrent of sexual pathologizing. It seems as though this woman believes that having sex with someone outside of marriage renders the body 'unfit' for presentation as a gift to one's husband. I really wish this idea would go away. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having extra-marital sex. In fact, studies have shown that being sexually active before marriage (especially with multiple partners) leads to greater sexual satisfaction within marriage. For that matter, just because a person is married doesn't mean that person can't have other sexual partners than her spouse. Many of the people who are most satisfied in their marriages are in open relationships!5. Because I am responsible & make mindful decisions accepting the consequences of my actions.
On the surface, this sounds like a good one. And to an extent, it is. But the problem here is that she's subtly suggesting that taking the pill and having sex is avoiding the consequences of one's action. Perhaps in a small way, this is true. But really, why should the consequence of sex always be pregnancy?
In other words, this entry is another attempt to pathologize sex. And the simple fact remains that sex should not be pathologized. It is a natural and normal part of being a human. In fact, if the state of bonobo apes is any indication (and there's plenty of evidence that suggests it is), humans are supposed to be having sex with as many partners as possible, as often as possible. Celibacy is, truth be told, the artificial state. Abstaining from sex is not natural, and although it is normal, it is normal only in a cultural/societal sense, not in a physiological or psychological sense.
But the worst part is the first part of her entry: that she is responsible and makes mindful decisions. I can't think of anything more responsible and mindful than taking the pill to avoid unwanted pregnancy.6. Because I want a
Yes, she actually put bullet points on her placard.
But this goes back to number 1. Taking the pill is not unhealthy. Taking the pill may not be natural in the strictest technical sense, but then again, neither is taking antidepressants. And being organic is severely overrated.7. Because fertility isn't a condition that needs to be fixed.
Nobody is claiming that fertility needs to be fixed. At least not permanently (in most cases; if someone does want it to be permanently fixed, they're likely to take other measures like tubal ligation or other forms of permanent sterilization). But in response to your statement, I have two comments:
I had to look up the hashtag. NFP, it seems, stands for 'Natural Family Planning,' which is the very limited set of behaviours that are approved by the Catholic Church for delaying and/or preventing pregnancy.
So we see another example of religious thinking poisoning people's minds. It also gets into the realm of mystical bonding and spiritual unity that many people associate with sex.
Which is, quite frankly, a load of bullshit.9. Because I don't have to give up my WOMANHOOD to be a feminist.
Nobody said you did. And even if you did have to 'give up your womanhood,' what part of womanhood is so tied up in your fertility that you think you have to remain fertile at all times in order to be a woman? Being infertile, be it temporarily or permanently, willfully or unintentionally, naturally or artificially, doesn't make you any less of a woman than a man who's lost a testicle is less of a man.10. Because I can control myself.
What's your point? Are you suggesting that women who choose not to subvert their natural sexual tendencies have no control?
This is yet another example of the pathologizing of sex. Having sex, of any kind, with any other person (or persons) who is able to give informed consent, is never immoral, sinful, evil, or depraved. The only time sex is evil or unethical is when it involves one or more persons who cannot give informed consent. So take your idea of 'controlling yourself' and shove it.11. Because it allows men to use women with NO consequences.
If you really believe that, you are woefully ignorant. Being on the pill or not does nothing to allow men to use women. You know what allows a man to use a woman? The woman.
Not to mention the fact that a woman who is not on the pill can still be used by a man, and even if the woman gets pregnant, there is literally nothing to stop the man from walking away and never having anything to do with that woman again. How's that for "NO consequences?"12. Because it treats the symptoms, NOT the problem.
Ok, I'm willing to have a discussion with you regarding this issue. But before we do, I need you to do me a favour. Will you define what exactly is the problem? Once I know what the problem is, then we can talk.13. I don't want to put something artificial in my body to stop something natural from happening.
Ok, three points:
You know, that's exactly what we're trying to avoid when we take the pill.
Plus, two more points. First, technically, you're not creating life. Sex is the generation of a new life form from an existing one. It's not like it's spontaneous or anything.
Second, it's obvious that you are, like several others on this list, imbuing mystical spiritual properties onto an act that really has none. Many people have been convinced, either by religion or by their socio-cultural environment, that the purpose of sex is to reproduce. For many animals, that is true. But for most primates, especially the higher order primates like chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans (yes, humans are primates), reproduction is more of a side-effect than the purpose. Sex is really for social bonding. Given the ridiculously high ratio of sex acts to births amongst chimpanzees and bonobos, and the even more ludicrously high ratio amongst humans (especially humans in the 'natural' environment like the Amazon rain forest), you might ask why we spend so much time trying to achieve pregnancy when it so rarely happens.
The answer: That's not the reason we have sex. We have sex to express love and affection, to rid our bodies of undesirable hormones and to introduce more pleasant ones, and to increase the emotional bonds between mates.
And here it's important to point out that, in the natural setting (since so many of the people on this list seem so obsessed with anything 'natural'), humans don't have sex only with romantic partners. Back before humans started living in an agricultural society, sex was something that a person did with every member of their tribe, as a way of increasing the bond to those people and cementing their communal membership in that tribe.
So the fact that sex produces life (in a manner of speaking) is completely irrelevant.15. Because I have PCOS and the pill does less than natural alternatives... but pharmaceutical companies want to make $$$.
Yes, it's true that companies want to make money. But that doesn't change the fact that the pill does work. And more to the point, so called 'natural alternatives' generally don't work. They may have a placebo effect, but that doesn't mean that they actually work. As Tim Minchin so eloquently put it in his beat poem Storm, 'Do you know what they call alternative medicine that's been proved to work?
'Medicine.'
But even if, for whatever reason, alternative medicine does work better for you, fine. But don't go telling other people that they're not allowed to use mainstream medicine based on your preferences. Don't go trying to shame people, subtly implying that there's something wrong with them for choosing a different path from you. It's your life, and your body, and you can do with it as you like. At least afford other people the option to do the same with their bodies.16. Because children are NOT an inconvenience -- they're a gift!
Not everyone feels as you do. Some people don't want children. Some people want children, but not right now. Don't tell us that we aren't allowed to decide when or if to have children.17. Because babies are cooler than pets!
Again, not everyone agrees with you. And even for those people who do, pets don't lead to overpopulation and all the problems that stem from it, like babies do.18. Because breast cancer, cervical cancer, and infertility just aren't worth it.
This one appears to be suffering from the misconception that the pill causes these things. Never mind the fact that they can all happen to women who have never taken the pill.
But more to the point, the National Cancer Institute has stated that the pill is, in all probability, not the cause of these conditions.19. Because no one is ever REALLY ready for kids -- & they are one of THE BEST, most exciting & fulfilling things to ever happen to me. =)
Good for you.
Not everyone is like you. Not all people make good parents. Many, many people who are parents should never have become so. Don't go trying to tell other people that they need to have kids just because you found it to be a rewarding experience.
Not to mention the fact that there's a difference between being 'ready' for kids and knowing that right now is not a good time in your life to be having kids. High school, for example, is not a good time to become a mother. University is also not usually a good time. Many women choose to delay childbearing to focus on their career, and that's their choice. Their choice, as in 'not your choice.'20. Because womanhood and fertility are a beautiful gift and I want a love that is self-giving and life-giving.
More mystical nonsense. You don't need to be fertile, much less a parent, to have a worthwhile love.21. Because I’m proud of my womanhood, and because I know too many young women who have reproductive issues as a result of years on birth control.
This one reflects number nine, above, in which our contributor somehow thinks that suppressing your fertility magically makes you not a woman.
Also, I'd like to hear more from these women who supposedly have reproductive issues as a result of the pill. How do they actually know it's the result of the pill? Are they certain they didn't have them before and just didn't realise it until they stopped taking the pill? Did a doctor tell them that was the cause of their issues? What tests did he perform to determine this diagnosis?
And perhaps more to the point, how many is 'too many?' Did you hear from two of your friends and become so freaked out from those particular stories that you swore off the pill for life?22. Because life is a beautiful thing. Always.
No, it's really not. Many people are born in miserable conditions. What about children born to abusive or neglectful parents? What about children born with horrible deformities? What about children born in situations where they don't have enough food or water? How beautiful is life when the child grows up malformed and in constant pain as a result of congenital defects or parental mistreatment?
Even if we take your meaningless aphorism at face value, that doesn't mean that everyone wants to be a parent, or at the very least, wants to be a parent right now. You don't get to tell them that they are required to have a child if they choose to engage in sexual behaviour.
This one, like several before, attributes mystical significance on the childbearing portion of sexual relations.23. I want a 100% healthy and unaffected reproductive system for when I AM ready to have kids.
We've already seen that taking birth control pills doesn't have a negative impact on your reproductive system.24. Because the ability to create life is a superpower that I’m proud to have.
Is that a wise superpower to use? I have one word in response to you: Duggars.
First, the (in my opinion, somewhat reasonable) arguments in favour of the pill.
Now, let's look at what sort of brainless drivel there is to be heard from those opposed to the pill.1. Because I can avoid pregnancy without poisoning my body.
To be absolutely clear, there are ways of preventing pregnancy without taking the pill. There are condoms, female condoms, IUDs, diaphragms, creams, foams, the rhythm method (notice I didn't say that all of them were reliable), and of course, abstinence. But the important thing to understand here is that birth control pills are not poison. There is nothing poisonous about them. They are safe, non-toxic, and healthy. The birth control pill is nothing more than progestin and (usually) estrogen. These are two hormones that your body produces naturally and normally on its own. The fact that these pills contain synthetic versions of these hormones does not change the fact that they are the same chemical substances that your body already makes on its own anyway. How can it be poisonous if your body intentionally creates it?
Here, we get into the issue that many people think that 'artificial' is the same as 'toxic.' Just because it was manufactured instead of produced naturally within your body does not mean that it's different. For example, let's look at the topic of artificial snow. Many ski resorts use artificial snow to increase the quality of skiing options for their guests. They have machines that pump water at freezing temperatures into the air. That water freezes into tiny crystalline flakes which are, chemically (sometimes they'll add nucleating agents to increase efficiency, but it's not necessary) and structurally, identical to snowflakes which result from natural processes. The only difference between the two is that one was intentionally formulated by people. That doesn't make it worse, or less effective, or toxic, or anything else.
It's the same with the pill. It's not poisonous. It was merely created by humans instead of by the body's own natural processes.2. Because even though cramps suck and I get acne, that's a normal part of being women [sic].
You know what else is a normal part of being 'women?' Breast cancer. Cervical cancer. Ectopic pregnancy. Preeclampsia. We can extend our list by opening it up to males as well, and look at some things that are a normal part of being human: birth defects such as harelips, conjoined twins, and radial aplasia; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; lupus; Alzheimer's disease; and so on. Just because it's normal doesn't mean we have to live with it, not when we have the ability, through advanced knowledge and technology, to prevent or assuage these conditions.3. Because it is all worth it.
Ok, this one just doesn't make any damn sense. What is worth it? What is this 'all' of which you speak? It's all worth what?4. B/c my body is a gift to my future husband & that gift includes Motherhood! [sic]
This one really hurts my head.
First of all, the idea that your body is a gift to your future husband? That is some seriously messed up thinking. It smacks of the sort of toxic thought patterns that can only result from a religious mindset. Your body is not a gift to anyone. It is yours. It is part of you. If you want to be subservient to another person, that's fine. That's your choice. I weep for you, in that you think you cannot be a complete and content person unless you belong to someone else, but if you really want that for yourself, I won't stop you. But if you go into marriage with that attitude, you're not likely to have a good one.
Secondly, the idea that taking birth control prevents you from ever being able to have children. When you're ready to be a mother, simply stop taking the pill. It's as simple as that.
Finally, this one has an undercurrent of sexual pathologizing. It seems as though this woman believes that having sex with someone outside of marriage renders the body 'unfit' for presentation as a gift to one's husband. I really wish this idea would go away. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having extra-marital sex. In fact, studies have shown that being sexually active before marriage (especially with multiple partners) leads to greater sexual satisfaction within marriage. For that matter, just because a person is married doesn't mean that person can't have other sexual partners than her spouse. Many of the people who are most satisfied in their marriages are in open relationships!5. Because I am responsible & make mindful decisions accepting the consequences of my actions.
On the surface, this sounds like a good one. And to an extent, it is. But the problem here is that she's subtly suggesting that taking the pill and having sex is avoiding the consequences of one's action. Perhaps in a small way, this is true. But really, why should the consequence of sex always be pregnancy?
In other words, this entry is another attempt to pathologize sex. And the simple fact remains that sex should not be pathologized. It is a natural and normal part of being a human. In fact, if the state of bonobo apes is any indication (and there's plenty of evidence that suggests it is), humans are supposed to be having sex with as many partners as possible, as often as possible. Celibacy is, truth be told, the artificial state. Abstaining from sex is not natural, and although it is normal, it is normal only in a cultural/societal sense, not in a physiological or psychological sense.
But the worst part is the first part of her entry: that she is responsible and makes mindful decisions. I can't think of anything more responsible and mindful than taking the pill to avoid unwanted pregnancy.6. Because I want a
- healthy
- natural
- organic
Yes, she actually put bullet points on her placard.
But this goes back to number 1. Taking the pill is not unhealthy. Taking the pill may not be natural in the strictest technical sense, but then again, neither is taking antidepressants. And being organic is severely overrated.7. Because fertility isn't a condition that needs to be fixed.
Nobody is claiming that fertility needs to be fixed. At least not permanently (in most cases; if someone does want it to be permanently fixed, they're likely to take other measures like tubal ligation or other forms of permanent sterilization). But in response to your statement, I have two comments:
- Whilst fertility may not be a condition that needs to be 'fixed,' for many people, it is a condition that needs to be temporarily suspended. Many people want to be able to have sex freely, but realise that they aren't ready, at least at the present time, to be a parent.
- Given that we live in a world populated by well over seven billion human beings as it is, I would argue that fertility actually very much is a condition that needs to be fixed.
I had to look up the hashtag. NFP, it seems, stands for 'Natural Family Planning,' which is the very limited set of behaviours that are approved by the Catholic Church for delaying and/or preventing pregnancy.
So we see another example of religious thinking poisoning people's minds. It also gets into the realm of mystical bonding and spiritual unity that many people associate with sex.
Which is, quite frankly, a load of bullshit.9. Because I don't have to give up my WOMANHOOD to be a feminist.
Nobody said you did. And even if you did have to 'give up your womanhood,' what part of womanhood is so tied up in your fertility that you think you have to remain fertile at all times in order to be a woman? Being infertile, be it temporarily or permanently, willfully or unintentionally, naturally or artificially, doesn't make you any less of a woman than a man who's lost a testicle is less of a man.10. Because I can control myself.
What's your point? Are you suggesting that women who choose not to subvert their natural sexual tendencies have no control?
This is yet another example of the pathologizing of sex. Having sex, of any kind, with any other person (or persons) who is able to give informed consent, is never immoral, sinful, evil, or depraved. The only time sex is evil or unethical is when it involves one or more persons who cannot give informed consent. So take your idea of 'controlling yourself' and shove it.11. Because it allows men to use women with NO consequences.
If you really believe that, you are woefully ignorant. Being on the pill or not does nothing to allow men to use women. You know what allows a man to use a woman? The woman.
Not to mention the fact that a woman who is not on the pill can still be used by a man, and even if the woman gets pregnant, there is literally nothing to stop the man from walking away and never having anything to do with that woman again. How's that for "NO consequences?"12. Because it treats the symptoms, NOT the problem.
Ok, I'm willing to have a discussion with you regarding this issue. But before we do, I need you to do me a favour. Will you define what exactly is the problem? Once I know what the problem is, then we can talk.13. I don't want to put something artificial in my body to stop something natural from happening.
Ok, three points:
- Taking paracetamol to prevent a headache is just as much 'putting something artificial in your body to stop something natural from happening.'
- Just because it's artificial doesn't mean it's bad. See entry #1 above.
- That's your choice. But you don't get to tell anyone else what they are or aren't allowed to do.
You know, that's exactly what we're trying to avoid when we take the pill.
Plus, two more points. First, technically, you're not creating life. Sex is the generation of a new life form from an existing one. It's not like it's spontaneous or anything.
Second, it's obvious that you are, like several others on this list, imbuing mystical spiritual properties onto an act that really has none. Many people have been convinced, either by religion or by their socio-cultural environment, that the purpose of sex is to reproduce. For many animals, that is true. But for most primates, especially the higher order primates like chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans (yes, humans are primates), reproduction is more of a side-effect than the purpose. Sex is really for social bonding. Given the ridiculously high ratio of sex acts to births amongst chimpanzees and bonobos, and the even more ludicrously high ratio amongst humans (especially humans in the 'natural' environment like the Amazon rain forest), you might ask why we spend so much time trying to achieve pregnancy when it so rarely happens.
The answer: That's not the reason we have sex. We have sex to express love and affection, to rid our bodies of undesirable hormones and to introduce more pleasant ones, and to increase the emotional bonds between mates.
And here it's important to point out that, in the natural setting (since so many of the people on this list seem so obsessed with anything 'natural'), humans don't have sex only with romantic partners. Back before humans started living in an agricultural society, sex was something that a person did with every member of their tribe, as a way of increasing the bond to those people and cementing their communal membership in that tribe.
So the fact that sex produces life (in a manner of speaking) is completely irrelevant.15. Because I have PCOS and the pill does less than natural alternatives... but pharmaceutical companies want to make $$$.
Yes, it's true that companies want to make money. But that doesn't change the fact that the pill does work. And more to the point, so called 'natural alternatives' generally don't work. They may have a placebo effect, but that doesn't mean that they actually work. As Tim Minchin so eloquently put it in his beat poem Storm, 'Do you know what they call alternative medicine that's been proved to work?
'Medicine.'
But even if, for whatever reason, alternative medicine does work better for you, fine. But don't go telling other people that they're not allowed to use mainstream medicine based on your preferences. Don't go trying to shame people, subtly implying that there's something wrong with them for choosing a different path from you. It's your life, and your body, and you can do with it as you like. At least afford other people the option to do the same with their bodies.16. Because children are NOT an inconvenience -- they're a gift!
Not everyone feels as you do. Some people don't want children. Some people want children, but not right now. Don't tell us that we aren't allowed to decide when or if to have children.17. Because babies are cooler than pets!
Again, not everyone agrees with you. And even for those people who do, pets don't lead to overpopulation and all the problems that stem from it, like babies do.18. Because breast cancer, cervical cancer, and infertility just aren't worth it.
This one appears to be suffering from the misconception that the pill causes these things. Never mind the fact that they can all happen to women who have never taken the pill.
But more to the point, the National Cancer Institute has stated that the pill is, in all probability, not the cause of these conditions.19. Because no one is ever REALLY ready for kids -- & they are one of THE BEST, most exciting & fulfilling things to ever happen to me. =)
Good for you.
Not everyone is like you. Not all people make good parents. Many, many people who are parents should never have become so. Don't go trying to tell other people that they need to have kids just because you found it to be a rewarding experience.
Not to mention the fact that there's a difference between being 'ready' for kids and knowing that right now is not a good time in your life to be having kids. High school, for example, is not a good time to become a mother. University is also not usually a good time. Many women choose to delay childbearing to focus on their career, and that's their choice. Their choice, as in 'not your choice.'20. Because womanhood and fertility are a beautiful gift and I want a love that is self-giving and life-giving.
More mystical nonsense. You don't need to be fertile, much less a parent, to have a worthwhile love.21. Because I’m proud of my womanhood, and because I know too many young women who have reproductive issues as a result of years on birth control.
This one reflects number nine, above, in which our contributor somehow thinks that suppressing your fertility magically makes you not a woman.
Also, I'd like to hear more from these women who supposedly have reproductive issues as a result of the pill. How do they actually know it's the result of the pill? Are they certain they didn't have them before and just didn't realise it until they stopped taking the pill? Did a doctor tell them that was the cause of their issues? What tests did he perform to determine this diagnosis?
And perhaps more to the point, how many is 'too many?' Did you hear from two of your friends and become so freaked out from those particular stories that you swore off the pill for life?22. Because life is a beautiful thing. Always.
No, it's really not. Many people are born in miserable conditions. What about children born to abusive or neglectful parents? What about children born with horrible deformities? What about children born in situations where they don't have enough food or water? How beautiful is life when the child grows up malformed and in constant pain as a result of congenital defects or parental mistreatment?
Even if we take your meaningless aphorism at face value, that doesn't mean that everyone wants to be a parent, or at the very least, wants to be a parent right now. You don't get to tell them that they are required to have a child if they choose to engage in sexual behaviour.
This one, like several before, attributes mystical significance on the childbearing portion of sexual relations.23. I want a 100% healthy and unaffected reproductive system for when I AM ready to have kids.
We've already seen that taking birth control pills doesn't have a negative impact on your reproductive system.24. Because the ability to create life is a superpower that I’m proud to have.
Is that a wise superpower to use? I have one word in response to you: Duggars.