To All My Female Friends:

I love women. I am by no means the perfect guy and have many shortcomings, but I do put a heavy emphasis on respecting the beauty, grace, and dignity of the female half of the world. In light of this, I decided to write about my personal opinion on a very hot topic in our country today: contraception and it's role in society and the lives of individuals. This post will not be theological. I do not plan to go into scripture or church teachings. It is not a commentary on current political events involving contraception. What this post contains is reflections on my personal opinion regarding the use of artificial (hormonal) birth control and the affects that I have witnessed and have been reported. (If you're tempted to stop here...DON'T!)

To begin, I think it's appropriate to give the facts on hormone-based contraceptives. Some of you probably know about about them so I'll make it brief. Hormonal contraceptives use either a single hormone (progesterone) or a combination of two hormones (progesterone and estrogen). Both types use artificial replicas of the actual hormones. The two-hormone combination works to both make the uterine lining uninhabitable for a fertilized embryo and to prevent ovulation. There are differing strengths available, some to completely stop the woman's cycle and others that prevent menstruation for 12 weeks and then allow for 7 days of menstruation. The single-hormone version does not prevent ovulation; rather, by preventing the proper buildup of uterine lining cells, the embryo is unable to properly implant and dies. In the most plain language possible, hormonal contraceptives shut down or severely impair the proper function of the woman's reproductive system.

The first pills were introduced in 1957 following requests by prominent feminist leaders of the time. Some serious dosage reductions occurred after early pills were reported to cause side affects such as nausea, weight gain, blood clots, and stroke; the FDA approved the use of the pill after dosages were lowered. The pill was touted as a major leap in women's rights, because it "equaled the playing field in sexuality" and allowed women to have casual sex without fear of getting pregnant. This very superficial view was short-sighted and ignorant on the ways that the pill would actually affect women. Rather than empower them and make them "equals", it did quite the opposite. (KEEP READING!)

I'm going to assert that women today are respected less than ever before. Margaret Sanger and her lot thought that because women had periods and were the child-bearing sex they were not of "equal status" (and women have historically been mistreated in various cultures, there is no doubt) and the pill would help level the playing field. Unfortunately, the emergence of the pill has often reduced women to objects of pleasure since women can be, in a sense, chemically "sterilized". Aside from the simple fact that I disagree with contraceptives on the basis that they detract from the true meaning of our unique human sexuality, I also abhor the vast negative side affects they have both physical and psychological.

In our world of modern medicine it's unfortunate that hormonal contraceptives, are as pushed as they are. It seems like a simple solution, right? Pop a pill! You'll be so happy! The contraceptive commercials today make you think that you're buying happiness pills, not mentioning the hormones that flood your body and alter its function.

According to cancer.gov oral contraceptives reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, and increase the risk of breast, liver, and cervical cancer. It would seem that if there are any treatments that the government would mandate as integral to women's health, it would be things like cancer screenings and yearly heart assessments, not cancer-causing artificial hormones that are part of a woman's voluntary choices. Preventative health services? If the government is trying to prevent diseases why don't they say "The pill causes more cancers than it prevents...we won't discourage its use because you're free to make your own decisions, but it can potentially kill you." Remember, this isn't a case of a life-saving drug such as chemotherapy having negative side affects. Contraceptives are not necessary for life and health, regardless of what an administration or for-profit organization tells you.

In our all-natural, organic-crazed society that freaks out when we hear apples have toxins in the peels and not washing your grapes can cause, umm, something...why are we so excited to gulp down chemicals that alter our body's function? If we took our ability to make independent, logic-driven decisions and combined that with our modern desire to be chemical free, wouldn't it make sense that we leave outdated, artificial hormone, cancer-increasing contraceptives in the dust? Shouldn't we take a look at the whole picture? It's really no wonder that so many women are getting married, chemically preventing children until their later reproductive years, then become completely astounded at the fact they can't get pregnant.

My take on the main reason contraceptives are so prevalent? People don't understand or aren't aware of other options, like natural family planning (or NFP). Or they have heard of it, but are sure that it cannot be effective enough to ease their mind about the possibility of pregnancy. This method should not be confused with the "rhythm method" that simply guesses at the woman's fertile time each month. Instead, NFP measures physical signs that point exactly to fertile and non-fertile times. It's not easy, but it's effective. The downside? 7-10 days per month of abstinence to avoid pregnancy with 98% effectiveness. It's a totally different mindset than contraceptive use, but it's less intrusive on the body and allows each woman to refocus on the uniqueness of her physiology and the natural signs that are expressed. An added bonus, did you know that couples who use Natural Family Planning to space their children have a 2% divorce rate? True Story.

OK ladies (and gentlemen), I've said quite a bit. You can tell I'm passionate about this. Eventually I want to use this passion to do professional education on the dangers of hormonal contraceptives. In the meantime, please don't allow yourself to be merely an object. Wouldn't it be great to know that your man respected you so much that he wanted to follow your biological clock, rather than change your physiology so your body is available for him whenever he wants? Wouldn't it be liberating to let your own body tell you when you're fertile, not some pharmaceutical company's product? Wouldn't it be cool to see society move just a little back in the direction of respect and dignity? I know it's a stretch, but it starts with you. Think about it.