Women's Right to Contraceptives - Research Paper Example

Ethics: Women's Right to Contraceptives Introduction Women’s freedom concerning the use of contraceptives has always yielded to numerous heated debates in history up to-date. The female gender contends that, basic freedom in the world starts with granting women full rights over their bodies. This is because women are aware of untold experiences, which they usually undergo. Therefore, granting male dominated regimes to give a verdict concerning their bodies is a form of heightened enslavement mainly subjected on the weaker gender. Consequently, this has yielded to both pro-birth control and abortion pioneers coming out in the public to agitate for women’s reproductive rights especially in the United States. Their core argument entails, “no regime has the right to dictate what women should do in their privacy” (Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations). However, numerous states globally have intruded into the privacy of the female gender despite advocating for a person’s autonomy and privacy. For instance, in US Universalist Association of Congregations -UUA has observed how the judicial system overturned the contraceptive issue despite having full information regarding women’s sufferings. This is regardless of its mandate of safeguarding people’s rights. Currently, debates concerning women’s freedom over their bodies have not ceased though compared to the past; pioneers have made some significant tremendous steps. These encompass legalization of abortion and to some extent women allowed to use contraceptives except by a few religious groups like Catholics. States’ regimes and diverse religions that up date resent the issue of women using contraceptives ought to change by granting women to enjoy their reproductive rights (Sanger). This is because no one understands better what a woman experiences in her life except herself. Studies have shown how repressive laws and religious teachings governing women reproductive rights from the past have dehumanized the female gender (Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations). This is especially during unwanted or multiple pregnancies where some women due to unfavorable conditions they face, result to aborting in dark alleys and streets. Hence, this risks their lives because they usually carry abortion both in private and poor conditions (Sanger). Conversely, things have at least improved where the relevant authorities have pushed for enacting and recognition of women reproductive rights especially by the states’ regimes. Religions especially Catholic has vehemently rejected the pioneers’ call in allowing its congregation to use contraceptives citing that, the norm is against their teachings. Therefore, this has led to friction amid the recent Obama’s Affordable Care Act and Catholic Church (Fuerst). The latter owing to its stern stand, still forces religious views on women to the extent of not agreeing to pay contraceptives’ cover for their employees. Despite Catholic Church’s insistence, studies report approximately 98% of its sexually experienced women; have used contraceptives in their lives (Fuerst). This represents a significant pro-contraceptives’ support from the church regardless of its leaders holding to their repressive teachings, which are against the use of contraceptives. Therefore, the church ought to reconsider its decision and stop forcing their religious views on women (Fuerst). Both the states’ regimes and churches ought to recognize women’s reproductive rights and give in to their demands due to the severe experiences, which they normally endure. For example, I have witnessed how women undergo trauma especially when they are pregnant and medical tests prove one is carrying a deformed child (Sanger). The woman has no other alternative but to carry the pregnancy to term, as she is afraid of defying both the religious and state’s laws via aborting. This becomes a burden to the woman besides bearing other demanding responsibilities whereas men and the relevant authorities distant themselves from her, to suffer alone. Additionally, after the child comes of age, he or she suffers segregation from the society. This is especially in the regions where people may infer his or her condition was because of a curse or a sign of misfortune. Therefore, both the church and government ought to support wholly women’s reproductive rights with the intention of avoiding these incidences. This is via allocating the necessary facilities meant to offer quality services regarding their reproductive health. Presently, despite significant achievements made by both the pro-abortion and contraceptives pioneers, the world has not wholly availed the necessary support for women’s reproductive rights. For instance, even with abortion being legal in United States, 86% of its counties lack specialized medical personnel meant to help women when necessary (Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations). This trend extends also in other global states where regimes have not even bothered to implement the practice in their medicals schools. Hence, this is a sure prove how global states and other religious groups have enslaved women despite claiming to have legalized the use of contraceptives and abortion. Since, they normally use laws and scriptural teachings as masks meant to appear they have consented but deep inside them, the stand is contrary (Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations). Laws and other religious views held against women reproductive rights are “legal” tools meant to intrude into the female gender’s privacy without seeking any consent. This is demeaning women and implying they do not have adequate intelligent to manage their affairs especially that entail sexuality. Regimes and other organs that are against women reproductive rights ought to adopt Roe v. Wade (1973) ruling and mean it, instead of the issue being a mere verbal statement (Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations). In addition, I concur with Margaret Sanger's argument that, women have the right to make personal choices based on what they deem is best for them and especially regarding their sexuality (Sanger). This regards when to have children and how many without allowing external views to influence their decisions like religious teachings. Therefore, the only person they can consult is the gynecologists and their husbands, but not for the latter to dictate. Based on the rate of modernity prevailing in the world, I feel the states ought to recognize women’s autonomy and stop intruding in their privacy. This is by allowing them to manage their sexuality issues besides offering the necessary support in terms of healthcare facilities. Presently, the world and especially in the most developing states contend that, freedom ought to be given to every person, but it is contrary when it comes to women (Fuerst). This is because the argument’s final verdict lies with the lawmakers and religions’ resolution where they end up devising policies that utterly enslave the female gender. For illustration, during the implementation of the current Affordable Care Act, the incumbent president had to give in to the Catholic Church’s demands. These entailed church declining to support contraceptive cover for all their employees; both the Catholics and non-Catholics (Fuerst). Therefore, President Barrack Hussein Obama with his regime yielded to rearranging their former plan so that those who may be seeking contraceptives will be able to get them from the insurance company (Fuerst). This shows how far the current regimes are yet to give women their freedom. Since, the government in this squabble ought to have negotiated with the church and state its strong stand concerning the issue. Conclusion The use of contraceptive and recognition of women’s reproductive rights has always prompted heated debates not only in US but also worldwide. This is because of differing views regarding the issue held by both the states’ regimes and religious groups, for instance, the Catholic Church. The condition compared to the past has now improved because of the recognition of the women’s reproductive rights by numerous states’ regimes, though Catholic maintains its stand. The latter should not force its religious views on women because this is intruding to their privacy and to some extent lowering their dignity. Therefore, both the states’ regimes and religions should support women via providing the necessary facilities that will guarantee their privacy. Work Cited Fuerst, MerryJessica. "Religious Right Attacks Women's Right to Contraception." Liberation News. News Paper, 25Th February 2012.Web. 2nd Nov. 2012. Sanger, Margaret. "Women's Right to Birth Control." Woman and the New Race. Web. 2nd Nov. 2012. Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA). "Birth Control Is a Privacy Issue." Birth Control. 2009. Web. 2nd Nov. 2012. Read More