Is sex only for the wealthy?

Sunday, August 25, 2019 블로그 Share


The US government seems to be saying so.

Beach couple

The Hyde Amendment prohibits using federal funds to pay for abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment. That falls heaviest on the poor, the young, immigrants, and people of color, who have the hardest time scraping up the $300 to $3000 for an abortion, not to mention the child care, travel, etc. they may also need.   

In 34 states, people who buy their own health insurance under the ACA also have no access to plans that include abortion coverage.

Meanwhile, the administration has said clinics receiving Title X federal family planning funds can't perform abortions or even refer patients to other places that do. Some clinics (including Planned Parenthood) have chosen to turn down the funding rather than lie to their patients and deny them basic care, but it's a lot of money to lose. That means the affected clinics will have to stretch the rest of their budgets farther to continue serving the low-income patients Title X money used to pay for. Result: longer waits for care and less access to not just abortion, but birth control, too.

Maybe it's our imagination, but it seems like the message we're supposed to be getting is that sex is a luxury reserved for the people who can afford to see private doctors for birth control and take time off to travel hundreds of miles for an abortion.

We think that's wrong. We support making birth control easier and more affordable to access. We also believe everyone, no matter where they are or how much money they have, deserves to make their own decisions about their reproductive lives. That's why we provide detailed and accurate information about self-managed abortion with pills, which can be done safely at home and is more affordable for many people. Questions? We're happy to answer them for free! Find us online at abortionpillinfo.org or email us at info@womenhelp.org.