I remember when bc was illegal

[gwheezie]

I was about 12 or 13 years old and had an extraordinary discussion with my extraordinary grandmother. She was the one you could call and say "I'm really in trouble". So we were talking about sex and babies and wound up talking about an abortion she had. It was during the depression and it was illegal. And we talked about preventing pregnancy. All the old methods some effective some myths some dangerous. I was appalled and started reading more about why girls had to risk pregnancy when they had sex and it radicalized me.
So at age 13 in 1962 I stood in front of my 9th grade class and presented an oral book report on Margaret Sanger. It would be an understatement to say it created a shit storm and of course my parents had a difficult time explaining my behavior. They were informed I and they could get in lots of trouble talking about birth control. I did not make any more speeches in school about birth control.
I wound up going to planned parenthood when I became sexually active, thanks to Sanger but did wind up getting pregnant the pill and iud we're not available. I had a baby way too young but not sorry for having her. I still could not get bc pills because even though it was post Griswald it was 1969 prior to Baird and every doctor asked for my husbands permission. I didn't have a husband. By this time I belonged to a women's rights group so luckily when I got pregnant again I was able to find a good abortion doctor and didn't wind up dying over having sex. My women's group was very active in a variety of areas. We ran a free child are co op in a room we took over at the university. We ran a drop in center. A group of us rented a large house and lived there. When we found there were no detox beds for females we took them home and detoxes them. We watched their kids. And we taught each other how to do menstrual extractions. In that decade I was turned down for jobs and paid less because I might have a baby someday. The greatest and most life changing event of my life was the day I got birth control pills for free at planned parenthood. Legal birth control changed everything for women. I could have sex without it limiting my potential by forcing me to have an unwanted pregnancy.
So I am telling this story of my life to preface my opinion of the hobby lobby decision. I take it personally. It is a decision made to control women. I believe there are people that hate the legal protections we fought so hard for. They don't want us to have jobs or go to school or have sex unless a man approves. This is personal. I have been slowly seething over the years but I feel it welling up. Between this ruling and the one forcing women to face a gauntlet of deranged dangerous loons in order to exert her right to control her body, I feel more angry than I have since I was a young girl.

[Suich]

1. Great post, gwheezie!

I'm ten years older than you and could not agree more!

I'll pm you when I'm not so tired.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Well said! I applaud your courage in posting your story.

Next time, break it up into paragraphs. It's a bit hard to read a block of prose like this. Still, I found it compelling.

Thank you.

[ALBliberal]

3. Thank you for sharing that

I will share it with my daughters age 23 and 21…it is surreal that we are moving backward in women's rights

[calimary]

5. Welcome to DU, ALBliberal!

Glad you're here. We do indeed seem to be going backwards. Back when men were men and women were property. Neat, huh?



It certainly isn't what those of us in our 50s and 60s and 70s fought for, and agitated for and petitioned for and lobbied for. VERY depressing.

[hollysmom]

4. Yep, people have no idea how recent all this is.

I lost friends in high school to abortions. When I got out of college I went to a doctor with a friend, if she had the money he would rite a note saying she mentally needed an abortion or it would seriously damage her health - the rich could always have legal abortions,

[RainDog]

6. GREAT POST

People who think sex is only for procreation are mentally ill and should have no say over any woman or man's life. If religious perverts want to sniff the panties of the world - I guess there's no stopping them.

But they shouldn't be represented on the Supreme Court or in our govt.

Sadly, one party in this nation is the party of panty sniffers. It's too bad they received such abusive messages about sex as children, but they shouldn't be allowed to enforce those on anyone else.

[nomorenomore08]

12. I agree. They should be left in the dustbin of history, not pandered to. n/t

[BrotherIvan]

7. BIG REC

Without the ability to control their own bodies, women have and will die. I just cannot believe this is happening in this country.

[Hekate]

8. Great post. Thanks for your story. I remember I remember I remember.

[SunSeeker]

9. I am with you sister.

Between that McCullen v. Coakley and Hobby Lobby, the Supreme Court has enshrined misogyny.

[littlemissmartypants]

10. Thank you. nt

[defacto7]

11. K & R

[MrScorpio]

13. Damn skippy! nt

[Rhiannon12866]

14. K&R! Wonderful post, gwheezie!

Thank you for your courage and for sharing your experiences with us...

[Fearless]

15. The problem is that we should have outlawed BS instead.

It would have saved us a whole hell of a lot of trouble.

[Enthusiast]

16. K&R!

Well done, gwheezie!

[bbgrunt]

17. well said and so true!

Birth control couldn't even be TALKED about in those times. Everything was a big secret--like living in the dark ages. It astounds me how fast we are returning to those times. Something must be done about this outrageous scotus.

[SoCalDem]

20. In 1970, I was asked by an HR lady, the following questions

I was a newlywed applying for a job at a bank..

I was asked if we practiced birth control..what KIND of bc and if I planned on having a baby anytime soon..

This was for a $2 hr job..

I was shocked...and politely asked what difference it made..and was told that the bank did not want to WASTE time & money training me and then have me quit to be a housewife..

[gwheezie]

21. Same here

In 1968 I was a single parent and trying to find a job to support myself and baby and was told I couldn't have the job I applied for because it would be taking a job away from a man who had to support a family. Then when I said well I have a family to support the hr person said my husband should support us. I didn't have a husband. I didn't have a husband for another 2 decades. I quess that meant me and the kid should just slowly die. They don't care about life. They care about power and control.

[joshcryer]

18. Completely on point.

It is absolutely a decision to control women. Full stop. They wouldn't even comment on other applications of this ruling. Only on birth control. Fuck them.

[Cha]

19. Yes, it is about Control!.. Compelling Tweet from David Plouffe..

David Plouffe @davidplouffe
Follow
Key "C" word is not contraception. It's control. Male bosses should be able to make health decisions for female employees? Shameful decision
5:50 AM - 30 Jun 2014
264 Retweets 147 favorites

http://theobamadiary.com/

Great post, gwheezie!

[gwheezie]

22. Clearly this decision was solely directed at women

It confirms what we know, the sc not only picked a favorite religion but also picked a favorite gender.
I was talking to my mom recently, she's 85 and catholic. My dad was going on about abortion kills babies and my mom told him that if the pill was around when they were younger and abortion legal, he would have had a more willing sex partner. Mom is pretty conventional but as many women in her age group, rolls her eyes and mutters under her breath about the stupid things men say to women.
If you are young, male or female talk to your mom and grandma away from the menfolk, maybe over a cup of tea while sitting on the porch. Ask her what not being equal means in everyday life.

[annabanana]

23. It was not so long ago.

I fear today's young women are in for a world of hurt.

[PCIntern]

24. "Sold for the prevention of disease only"

Used to be imprinted on condom wrappers