Sequoia Gregorich, Columnist
Your daughters want to talk to you about birth control.
In this century, we care about our future. We would like to work hard, and build our way to the top in a world still belonging to men. In a world like this, girls can’t afford to lose nine months plus to having a baby in high school.
Girls can’t afford to appear weak when their monthly bleeding causes painful cramps or intense mood swings. So right now, your daughters are asking for the right to choose their own path by taking the pill.
But they don’t want to do this without you.
On November 2, the Riptide sent out an anonymous survey, asking about the opinions and usage of the birth control pill from students. All comments were anonymous. This survey showed the still very prevalent religious ideals that go against using contraceptives such as the pill.
For parents who believe the birth control pill contravenes their religious beliefs, that’s your prerogative. However, it’s important to understand that there is no commonly-practiced religion in the United States that forbids parents from helping their children lead a secure and stable life.
This means that if you decide to deny your child’s right to an ultimately very responsible decision, you should be prepared to support and provide for your child in any way they need.
There is a generally large stigma around teens and talking to their parents about sex. Some of it has to do with feeling uncomfortable, and others with the fear of not being heard.
“I think many girls are scared to talk to their parents about [the pill], and they shouldn’t have to feel that way,” said a poll respondent.
As a parent, you need to be 110 percent present for your daughters at all times. Sex might not be a topic you’d enjoy talking about at family dinners, but you need to make it clear that you are there for your child when they need someone to give guidance. What that entails is listening to them when they decide to take control and ask to go on birth control.
For most parents, when they hear “birth control,” their instinct is to think that their kid must be having sex. If you are going to discuss this topic with your child, you should remember that there are other reasons to take the pill.
A statistic from the Riptide poll read that 60 percent of students surveyed took the birth control pill to regulate their period or for other reasons, proving that it is in fact beneficial in more than one way.
The survey’s anonymous responses offered similar opinions about birth control.
“I think the pill is exactly what it says it is: a simple safeguard against having kids,” said another poll respondent. “I don’t think it encourages or discourages sex. It’s simply a tool.”
For many, this tool is a safe and reliable way to control their heavy periods or excruciatingly painful cramps.
If you are still a parent who thinks taking the pill encourages sex, you need to remember that “teens are going to find a way to have sex either way, [and] you might as well be safe about it,” said another poll respondent.
Guttmacher Institute gave the statistics of birth control in the United States.
“Among the 2.5 million sexually active teenage women who reported current use of contraceptives (within the last three months) in 2011–2013, 55% relied on the condom; 35% on the pill; 20% on withdrawal; 8% on the injectable, patch or ring; and 3% on the IUD.”
Fifty five percent relied on a piece of rubber that could break or slip. And even more worrisome, 20 percent relied on withdrawal, which should only be used as a last resort. It is important that you let your child protect themselves in a way that is reliable and secure.
Taking the birth control pill means responsibility. It means that your child wants to be safe when sexually active or otherwise so that they can lead the life they envision. Parents, set aside your concerns with the birth control pill, because this decision needs to be made with your child, not for them.