"There is no harm in birth control. I take it for medical purposes. I have endometriosis and it helps with the pain and massive bleeding."
— Jennifer
"I believe there is something inherently wrong in this country that birth control can be so difficult to acquire. Especially for students and underprivileged women…This is not a religious choice, but a right for women to have control of their bodies."
— Bibiana
"I first went on birth control at the age of 16 because I had such bad menstrual cramps. I got the Pill through a free clinic in my area and I’ve gone there ever since as they were so kind and easy to work with. If I would have had to pay full price I wouldn’t have been able to be on the Pill. I never knew just how much that would affect my life. At the age of 17 I was sexually assaulted by three men. None of the men used contraception, so I thank God (and that clinic!) every day that I wasn’t impregnated by them. If it wasn’t for the Pill my life would likely be very different than it is now."
— Allyse
"I currently attend a school that does not cover birth control and have spent much of this year trying to either find a cheap one that works (since I am paying out of pocket) or going without it at all (which is not the safest option!) So many people do not understand how birth control is so amazing in the fact that not only does it help prevent pregnancy, but also helps with horrible periods and mood disorders."
— Kaitlyn
"Several years ago, I had surgery to remove a tumor from one of my ovaries. In the month between diagnosis and surgery, the tumor grew and ended up being more than 6 inches long. The surgeons had to remove not only the tumor, but also the ovary and Fallopian tube in a more invasive procedure that meant I couldn’t work for a month. If I lose the other ovary, I’ll be in menopause. I’m 30 years old.
Today, I’m on an extended cycle of birth control pills to cut down on the risk of cysts and tumors and keep my remaining ovary functional."
Today, I’m on an extended cycle of birth control pills to cut down on the risk of cysts and tumors and keep my remaining ovary functional."
— Katie
"I started birth control when I was 15 due to medical issues. (For the record, I wasn’t having sex then. I hadn’t even had my first kiss!) Between my endometriosis and likelihood to hemorrhage, having my period severely lessened through birth control has saved my life, and my uterus. I know I don’t have to have it removed until after I have children because I am not abusing it now due to the birth control. Without this contraception, my dream of having children when I want them would be destroyed.
I couldn’t imagine affording this contraception without my insurance, and believe it should be covered by all insurances."
I couldn’t imagine affording this contraception without my insurance, and believe it should be covered by all insurances."
— Liz
"Simply, “Thank You,” for me and my daughter and my granddaughter. And for all citizens who are hoping sanity will again reign in DC."
— Gwen
"Just know, all your childhood friends are proud of you. I suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome and you are fighting for all of us. Thank you."
—
From a friend I grew up with. I had no idea she had PCOS. This is why we
as women have to share our stories, as my friend did. It helps those who
care about us know how important policies affecting women’s health are.
GEORGETOWN LAW STUDENTS FOR REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE’S STATEMENT ON GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY’S ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING CONTRACEPTIVE COVERAGE IN STUDENT INSURANCE
For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 26, 2012
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Georgetown Law Students for Reproductive Justice released the following statement:
“Georgetown LSRJ is deeply disturbed to learn that Georgetown University President John DeGioia has decided not to comply with the final rule of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requiring comprehensive contraceptive coverage in 2012 student insurance. Georgetown could have complied by either fully implementing contraceptive coverage themselves or by simply stepping back and letting insurers fulfill their legal duty of providing this critical care to students directly without university involvement or funding.
“We believe President DeGioia’s decision is an affront to the health concerns of the Georgetown student body. Georgetown LSRJ has extensively documented that Georgetown’s current policy does not adequately meet students’ medical needs for contraception. Sixty-five percent of surveyed students who reported attempting to use the ‘medical need only’ coverage reported barriers to actually receiving insurance reimbursement. Many students are unable to obtain coverage despite having doctor-verified medical needs such as polycystic ovarian syndrome. President DeGioia’s retort that students are free to purchase other insurance on the open market exposes a lack of understanding of how financially unfeasible that would be.
“Unfortunately, President DeGioia never responded to our April 21 request for a meeting to discuss this critical issue. Having heard from almost 800 Georgetown University Law Center students and numerous members of the faculty through a campus-wide petition and through individual correspondence, and having been told that additional medical school, graduate, and undergraduate students were preparing petitions, we believe that it is disrespectful that President DeGioia, as the head of our university community, did not at least meet with students who have expressed legitimate and important concerns. Accordingly, Georgetown LSRJ remains open to a meeting with President DeGioia at any time.
“Among our unanswered concerns, President DeGioia has yet to explain how covering contraception for faculty and staff but not for students is consistent with the Jesuit mission of Georgetown. In order to qualify for the HHS exemption allowing religiously-affiliated universities to delay contraception coverage until 2013, Georgetown must certify that it has a moral objection to contraception coverage. President DeGioia has yet to explain how Georgetown University plans to certify to the federal government that it has a moral objection to contraception coverage when it has long provided full contraception coverage for faculty and staff, excluding only students. We hoped to raise these and other issues at our meeting with him.
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