• For the past 50 years, abortion was considered a constitutional right by the United States federal government, made legal in 1973 because of a Texas woman (Norma McCorvey, known as Jane Roe) whose legal counsel took her case to the U.S Supreme Court. She wanted to have an abortion, but when she became pregnant with her third child in 1969, abortion was only legal in Texas if the mother’s life was in danger. This led to a series of events that caused the U. S. Supreme Court to make it a constitutional right for any woman in the United States to have an abortion, up to 12 weeks in their pregnancy, regardless of state laws. Read more on the history of the law here, https://www.girlspring.com/supreme-court-considers-whether-to-reverse-roe-v-wade/
• Now, each state will be able to make their own laws relating to abortion access, and there is no longer a federal law in place related to abortion. In some states, it will remain legal, but in many it will be illegal very soon, perhaps in the next few days. The map below shows what is likely to happen state by state. Photo credit: https://www.everydayhealth.com/public-health/roe-v-wade-supreme-court-ruling/

• Leading up to this historic event, were recent cases in Mississippi (Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization) and Texas, that prompted the re-examination and finally the decision to overturn Roe. Read more here, https://www.girlspring.com/supreme-court-cases-to-pay-attention-to/

For more resources and updates, please visit…

• https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/20/upshot/abortion-united-states-roe-wade.html?smid=url-share
• https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/24/politics/dobbs-mississippi-supreme-court-abortion-roe-wade/index.html
• https://www.npr.org/2022/06/24/1102305878/supreme-court-abortion-roe-v-wade-decision-overturn

The post Roe v. Wade Overturned: What Does it Mean? appeared first on GirlSpring.

This post focuses on the steps taken towards gender equality the past couple of years leading up to November 2019. It recognizes and honors these strong equal rights advocates from around the world. 

Argentina

The Ni Una Menos feminist movement against violence towards women has spread throughout the nation.

Brazil

Marielle Franco, an Afro-Brazilian politician and LGBTQI activist, was murdered in an attack, but she pushed the country towards reforms.

Canada

Implemented their feminist philanthropy project in 2017 and pledged more than $300 million to fund gender equality globally.

Chile

Countless protests have decriminalized abortion.

East Africa

Launch of the Young Women’s Leadership Initiative to bring girls and mentors from Kenya and Tanzania together to work to promote change and equality in their communities.

Egypt

Mozn Hasan founded Egyptian women’s human rights organization Nazra. In fact, Mozn Hassan accepted the 2016 Right Livelihood Award 

Guatemala

The first successful prosecution of two former members of the military for sexual violence committed during Guatemala’s military conflict

Ireland

Protests have decriminalized abortion, and former president Mary Robinson discussed grassroots women’s response to climate change.

Nigeria

In 2016, 21 of the 200 girls kidnapped from their school by the extremist group Boko Haram were released and returned home due to the pressure from women’s groups. 

Pakistan

The government will implement separate hospital wards for the transgender community for their protection.

Saudi Arabia

Made it legal for women to drive and attend soccer games

Syria

UN Special Envoy for Syria established the Syrian Women’s Advisory Board who push for democratization and the protection of rights. 

Ukraine

Kateryna Gandzyuk was murdered by far-right extremists for defending women’s rights.

Uruguay

The first conviction for femicide since it became a crime in October 2017.

This is NOT an exhaustive list. Only some of the highlights!

Sources 

https://www.insider.com/wins-accomplishments-women-2018-11https://www.globalfundforwomen.org/10-best-moments-for-womens-rights-2016/ https://www.globalfundforwomen.org/10-best-moments-for-womens-rights-2016/

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On September 1, 2021, a new law went into effect in Texas banning women from having abortions after cardiac activity is detected on an ultrasound, which is typically when a women is around six weeks pregnant. It is important to note that cardiac activity is not an indicator of a pregnancy being viable. As a matter of fact, according to the American Pregnancy Association, the viability of a fetus can only be assessed after a woman is six weeks pregnant.

The Supreme Court allowed the implementation of this law in a 5-4 vote. Although this law makes an exception when the pregnancy endangers the life of the mother, there are no exceptions made for pregnancies which are the result of rape, incest, or sexual abuse. 

Furthermore, with this new law in effect, residents in Texas are allowed, and rather encouraged, to sue abortion providers and others aiding these now illegal abortions for a potential $10,000 reward. Since citizens of Texas are the ones enforcing the law rather than state officials, it is more difficult for this law to be challenged in court. 

To give more perspective, if a girl gets raped and pregnant and proceeds to have an abortion, her rapist could sue her and receive $10,000 for doing so.  

Her rapist could sue her.

It seems as if there is a stronger effort to make laws against women rather than creating ones that protect us.

The Problem – or at Least One of Them

There are important problems to consider surrounding this law, including the time constraints created by the six-week technicality:

• Many women are unaware that they are pregnant at the six-week mark of their pregnancy.

Dr. Jennifer Villavencio, a fellow at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, states that, “It is extremely possible and very common for people to get to the six-week mark and not know they are pregnant.” Essentially, what could now happen is that by the time a woman finds out she is pregnant, she will not have the ability to decide whether or not she wants to exercise her right to choose – the government will have decided for her.

The executive director of Planned Parent Texas Votes, Dyana Limon-Mercado, demonstrates the time constraints the Texas law imposes on women: “When you factor in the time it takes to confirm a pregnancy, consider your options and make a decision, schedule an appointment and comply with all the restrictions politicians have already put in place for patients and providers, a six-week ban essentially bans abortion outright.”

Birth control fails. Menstrual cycles are commonly irregular. Pregnancy tests are not always reliable early in a pregnancy, and pregnancy symptoms do not always occur in early stages. However, Texas’s new law utterly disregards these situations, putting pregnant women in a clear timeline crisis. 

The Irony

While no aspect of this law allows room for humor, the irony of Texas Governor Abbott imposing restrictive abortion laws yet not mandating masks is simply unmatched. Governor Abbott has at several times reiterated the notion that masks and vaccines protecting against COVID-19 are not allowed to be required by local government officials. 

The same people advocating for “My Body, My Choice” when opposing and resisting attempts to make masks mandatory are the same ones who believe that the government has a right to dictate what a woman can and cannot do with her body. So while measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect people are not allowed to be implemented in Texas, measures to excessively control the rights of women somehow are. 

Make it make sense.

What’s Next?

Ultimately, the next step will most likely be taken by the Supreme Court when they hear a case in the upcoming fall from Mississippi, once again regarding the technicalities of abortion. It is also possible for the constitutionality of the new law in Texas to be challenged within state courts, which could potentially end up at the Supreme Court. Regardless, it is safe to assume that the future of abortion access and Roe v. Wade could be redetermined within the next few months.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/01/health/texas-abortion-law-facts.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/09/01/texas-abortion-law-faq/

https://www.texastribune.org/2021/05/18/texas-heartbeat-bill-abortions-law/

https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/pregnancy-health-wellness/early-fetal-development/

The post Texas and a Woman’s Right to Choose appeared first on GirlSpring.

WHAT IT IS

This one is pretty simple—abstinence is exactly what it sounds like: waiting to have sex. That may mean until you’re married or until you’ve found the right person or because you did it before but don’t want to now. No matter what you’re reasons, abstinence is choosing not to have intercourse.

HOW IT WORKS

• Step one: don’t have sex.
• Step two: that’s it!

EFFECTIVENESS

Waiting is 100% effective (and for the record, this is the only method of birth control that is 100% effective).

Note: When we talk about effectiveness we mean typical use number or what happens when couples used this method of birth control pretty well; it accounts for humans errors and occasional contraceptive failure. BUT, teenagers are often not as careful as older people in using rates for teens may be a little worse than what you see here. Keep that in mind as you’re looking at the options and remember that for birth control to be effective, you have to use it consistently and correctly every single time.

MAJOR PERKS

• Super effective.
• Easy to remember.
• Always available.
• Long-term coverage.
• No visit to a medical provider required.
• Non-hormonal.

MINOR DRAWBACKS

• You have to be perfect every single time and it can be hard to say no!
• If you change your mind and decide to become sexually active, you have to plan ahead and have some kind of birth control on hand.

NEED TO SEE A MEDICAL PROVIDER?

Nope; this one is all on you (and your partner).

From: stayteen.org

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The birth control pill is what most people think of as “the pill”. The pill is the most common BC method and is highly effective if taken every day. There are many strengths and brands of contraceptive pills. You can talk with your clinician about which type of BC pills is right for you.

Pros:

• 92-99% effective.
• Can make periods more regular and cramps less painful.
• Can improve acne and PMS.
• Helps protect against uterine and ovarian cancer.

Cons:

• Does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases or HIV.
• May cause irregular bleeding. These side effects often disappear over time, or can be helped by changing to a different pill with a different amount of hormones.

Who uses birth control pills?

People who have the self discipline to take a pill every single day and who have a safe place to store their pills.

How do you use birth control pills?

For most types of BC pills you swallow one pill every day for three weeks. The last week you either take a pill that has no hormones –a “reminder” pill to keep you in the habit of taking a pill each day-or take no pills for one week. This is when you will get your period. There are also pills you can take to not get your period at all. Talk to your provider about what kind of pills are best for you.

Where do you get birth control pills?

You can get a prescription for BC pills at a clinic near you.

How effective are birth control pills?

BC pills are 92-99% effective. They are most effective when taken every day. If you skip a pill during a pill cycle, you may be at higher risk for unintended pregnancy.

Does the pill offer STD protection?

NO. For STD protection use condoms with this method.

From: TeenSource

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The male condom is a thin covering that fits over an erect penis. Condoms are used to help prevent pregnancy and protect from HIV and other STDs when you have vaginal, anal or oral sex. Condoms can be made out of different materials.

Condoms come in different textures, colors and sizes. Make sure the condom fits. Some condoms are lubricated, making the condom more slippery and comfortable to use during sex. Only water based lubricants can be used with latex condoms.

Pros:

• Condoms can prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.
• You don’t have to go to a clinic to get them.
• Condoms are easy to find in many places; at supermarkets, gas stations, drugstores, local clinics, and in vending machines.
• Condoms are easy to carry around.
• Condoms may help an erection last longer.

Cons:

• Condoms can break and slip off 1-2% of the time. To prevent breakage and slippage check for proper placement and size.

Who uses male condoms?

People who are looking for no-commitment BC and want STD protection as much as they want pregnancy prevention.

How do you use male condoms?

Before using a condom, make sure which way it unrolls. Pull back the foreskin and unroll the condom all the way to the base of the penis.

Talk to your partner about using a condom in advance. Change the condom if the penis is exposed to a different site (i.e. moves from anus to vagina). Remove the condom immediately after you ejaculate (cum). Withdraw the penis while holding the rim of the condom at the base of the penis to avoid having any cum spill out. The condom should be used just once and then thrown away.

What about lube?

Lubricant is a water-based, slippery liquid that can help prevent condoms from breaking during use and may prevent irritation caused by the skin-on-skin friction that can happen during sex.

Important things to remember about lubricant:

• Only use WATER-based lubricants that are made for the purpose of having sex.
• Never use anything oil-based on a condom (such as Vaseline, baby oil, body lotion or vegetable oils) because the oil weakens the latex that the condom is made of and can cause condoms to break!

What about “double bagging”?

You may have heard of “double bagging,” or layering two male condoms at once to get extra protection. We don’t have any data showing that “double bagging” is better or worse than the single use of condoms, but we do have a lot of evidence showing that the single use of condoms is effective at preventing STDs and pregnancy. Even if “double bagging” offers protection, because we hear so often that condoms reduce sensation, it’s probably worthwhile to focus on the correct use of a single condom. This will provide the most scientifically effective birth control method + STD protection while retaining sensation!

Where do you get male condoms?

You can buy condoms at most drugstores and supermarkets, and many clinics give them away free of charge. You do not need a prescription to buy condoms, and you do not need ID. People of all ages can easily buy condoms

How effective are male condoms?

Condoms are 85-98% effective. The biggest reason for condom failure is not using a condom correctly each time you have sex.

Do male condoms offer STD protection?

Yes. Condoms are the only BC method that also prevent STDs and HIV. They can also be used with other Birth Control methods for double protection.

From: TeenSource

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Birth control can sometimes be a taboo subject and can be especially uncomfortable for teens to talk about. It is important to remember that birth control is used for numerous reasons such as helping with regulating periods, treating symptoms of endometriosis, and preventing unwanted pregnancies, which is the primary purpose. It is essential to know your options when getting birth control. Most people think the pill is their only option, but there are several different forms of birth control. Some factors one might consider when deciding which type of birth control to use include its effectiveness for preventing pregnancy, the frequency with which you renew it, and how well or poorly your body reacts to it. Here are the four main types of birth control on the market which one should consider when thinking about getting on birth control.

1. The Pill

The pill is the first on the list because it is the most obvious. The pill is good because you can take it just a day at a time, and if you want to quit then you just stop taking it. The downside to taking the pill is that you DO have to worry about it every single day, and if you forget to take it then it can throw you off. While birth control is used for more than just protecting against pregnancy, if you do use it while being sexually active and you miss just one day, it can result in pregnancy. Even if you don’t forget, the pill only works 91% of the time when protecting against unwanted pregnancy, which most people don’t realize. Many people end up taking the pill because they don’t know there are other options available to them.

2. Depo-Provera aka “The Shot”

The Depo-Provera shot is a good middle-ground option, protecting against pregnancy about 97% of the time and up to 99% if you get your shots regularly and on time. However, the shot’s history includes some controversies worth considering. Depo-Provera requires timely follow-up injections for consistent effectiveness, making it important to stay on schedule for whatever reason you may be receiving it. It’s convenient but still requires planning to ensure effectiveness.

3. The IUD

The IUD and arm implant are similar. The IUD is placed in the uterus and works by releasing hormones directly into the uterus which keep the sperm from reaching the egg. Most people who have an IUD can also expect to experience no menstruation at all, so it is also great for those who have heavy periods. This option prevents pregnancy more than 99% of the time and can last anywhere from 3-5 years depending on what kind you get. Some people, like myself, tend to avoid this option because they don’t like the idea of having something placed into their uterus. The uterus is a sensitive area, and having something foreign placed there can cause complications every so often. Even though this is not common, there is still the possibility, and it does happen on occasion.

4. Implanon/Nexplanon aka “The Arm Implant”

The implant is the birth control which I personally use because, to me, it seemed like the easiest option. However, the majority of women do not know about this option. I did not know about it until I started researching the types of birth control which exist on the market. I did not want to worry about taking a pill every single day and, even though I was using it to regulate my period, 91% effectiveness in pregnancy prevention did not sit well with me, had I needed to use it for that reason. The implant is basically a small white stick about 1.5 inches long and 2mm in diameter. It is inserted into your upper left arm by your gynecologist, and that’s it; you are good for three years. You don’t have to think about it for a while, and it protects against unwanted pregnancy more than 99% of the time. The con to this option is that people are prone to bleed over a period of time after they receive the implant. For me, I had a period for two weeks, but after it finally ended, I didn’t have a period in the two years between then and now. Others aren’t always so lucky. Some women have bled for up to six months and just decided it wasn’t worth it. Basically, some people don’t react well to it. Talk to your gynecologist about the best options for you and the concerns you may have if you are thinking about getting the implant. Every woman is different, and our bodies react differently to different medicines.

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