Feminists Desire for Affordable Healthcare
Access to Birth Control and Annual Exams Top Wish List
One of the issues on the radar of feminist activists, particularly those at the National Organization for Women, is the affordability of low-income healthcare. Feminist concerns center around birth control pills and their availability at most health clinics catering to low-income and college-aged women.
Various birth control methods are available to many women. Condoms are one obvious alternative to using birth control pills. Because condoms are available over the counter and are inexpensive, many people suggest low-income women turn to this birth control method over birth control pills. Indeed, using condoms or another barrier method is necessary as it protects against sexually transmitted diseases, but feminist activists would like women to have more control over their reproductive functions.
A core principle among women’s rights advocates is the belief in the availability of birth control to all women, and low-income healthcare initiatives are part of that principle belief. In 2005, Congressional decision-making led pharmaceutical companies to stop offering birth control pills for less money through various health clinic settings. College women were affected in large proportions since this legislation specifically examined the availability of cheap birth control methods at university health clinics.
NOW, along with other feminist activists, have been advocating for a change to this policy. These feminist advocates argue that denying affordable healthcare solutions to women who need them is a violation of their rights to quality reproductive healthcare. Indeed, NOW is among a large contingent of feminists urging Congress to change the law to make healthcare affordable for these women again.
While birth control pills often are at the fore of reproductive health discussions, women’s rights advocates argue other issues matter as well. One of the healthcare solutions many activists want is affordable access to annual exams, including Pap smears and mammograms for women older than 40. Healthcare costs actually would go down, these advocates argue, because women would get preventive care sooner instead of waiting until they have a problem.
Feminists are not the only ones arguing for more affordable healthcare solutions. The issue is a major concern as healthcare costs rise, but women’s rights advocates do have specific end goals they would like to see met. Working on these issues is a priority for many feminist organizations as the denial of reproductive healthcare often comes at the hands of legislative agendas. As healthcare reaches a crisis point, however, it is likely that healthcare advocates will see some success.
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