I’m not generally one to applaud government interference in my personal life, whether in my relationships or my medical decisions. I won’t tell you all new government reforms being enacted are good for U.S. citizens.
But I am thrilled with the recently announced amendments to healthcare reform.
Many Christians are fuming. I am not an outraged Christian.
I’m a thankful one.
Mandating contraception, including the Plan B pill and implantable devices, is one of the best decisions the Obama administration has made. Yes, Plan B is a contraceptive pill, not a pill to induce an abortion.
It’s the government’s job to ensure organizations within the U.S. aren’t blatantly disregarding the rights of all people to freedom of religion.
This includes making sure religious employers provide adequate healthcare for employees who do not share their boss’S religious doctrine of no contraception.
The new ruling does allow some strict religious exemptions, but with good reason.
Not everyone who works for a religiously-affiliated organization shares those religious beliefs. If you’ve ever been around health care in this town, you know many who work at Our Lady of the Lake, or its affiliates, aren’t devout Catholics.
Believing in the core mission of an organization does not give a boss the right to force compliance with everything that faction demands of its members. Most of the organizations throwing a fit about the amendment would never survive if they didn’t employ people outside of their own denomination.
Many media outlets reporting on the topic point to the Catholic Church as the greatest dissenter to this amendment.
Well, Mr. Pope, I don’t think you can or will ever understand. You don’t have to deal with these issues on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
You have never had the worry of having a child you can’t afford.
You will never know the fear that comes from knowing pregnancy could kill you, while a contraceptive implant is a simple way to save your life without major surgery (which also may not be covered).
You will never have a period so painful you can’t get out of bed, or find yourself trying to prevent a pregnancy from rape.
The Pope, as a man who supposedly does not have sex, will never understand the many ways contraception is important to women’s health.
The mandates aren’t meant to impede religious freedom, but to protect the right to religious and personal freedom in the workplace. Catholics who don’t wish to use contraception aren’t being tied up and forced to take the pills or get the devices implanted.
Of course, 98 percent of Catholic women in the U.S. use contraception, according to research released in April 2011 by The Guttmacher Institute.
Contraceptive coverage will ease a financial, mental and emotional burden on women who share the Catholic doctrine, not just those of other beliefs. It simply means it is available for those who need or want it, no matter how you align yourself religiously.
All of this adds up to the fact that, frankly, my reproductive choices are none of my employer’s damn business.
Healthcare decisions are made between my doctor and me. My employer has no place in that equation. My life, my body and my health are mine.
I determine what to do with my body. I determine what I put in my body.
I determine what is best for me physically, emotionally and mentally. No one has a right to tell me otherwise.
There is no place in health care for dogmatic interference, especially if it isn’t my chosen philosophy. My values, ethics and self-understanding will make the best decision on whether contraception in any form is right for me.
Your theology doesn’t know my body like I do.
When it all comes down to it, I think Lemmy Kilmister (of Motörhead fame) summed it up most appropriately.
“Just ‘‘cause you got the power, that don’t mean you got the right.”
Kristi Carnahan is a 25-year-old anthropology senior from West Monroe. Follow her on Twitter @TDR_KCarnahan.
 
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Contact Kristi Carnahan at [email protected]