Update/correction: It appears that the source cited below, MN Daily News, is misleading. Apparently, the Senate has not yet passed the bill. Yet the article cited in the MN publication states: "Minnesotans should be wary of Wisconsin’s ban on birth control on its university campuses." and "In passing this bill, Wisconsin has the distinct honor of becoming the first state in the nation to limit college students’ access to full birth control options." I received a similarly worded announcement in a Women's eNews alert. But a commenter from WI says it ain't so. Fox News (sorry for this cite, but it was the only one I could find) has this to say: "It is not clear which way the state Senate will go on the matter, but the earliest vote could take place this fall after the summer recess. Even if the bill passes again, its chances of becoming law may be bleak: Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle has indicated he would veto it."
I've made a few corrections to this post, and I offer my apologies. Funny, ten years ago, no one would have believed the MN newspaper story cited here, but since then 'unbelievable' has become everyday life.
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If Wisconsin lawmakers have their way, it will be back to the 19th Century for college women in Wisconsin. The state would become the only state to ban birth control services on campuses.
Cause birth control is the reason women have sex.
Women applying to colleges may wish to scratch this state off their list.
Margaret Sanger is rolling over in her grave in disbelief.
"Wisconsin has passed a bill entitled UW Birth Control Ban-AB 343. This bill prohibits University of Wisconsin campuses from prescribing, dispensing and advertising all forms of birth control and emergency contraceptives. Wisconsin State Rep. Dan LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, introduced this bill based on the belief that “dispensing birth control and emergency contraceptives leads to promiscuity.” In reality, full access to all birth control options — including emergency contraceptives — has no effect on the level of women’s promiscuity. Instead, birth control and emergency contraceptives help prevent more than 35,000 unintended births and 800,000 abortions each year.
The bill denies thousands of women essential health-care services and reproductive choices and affects their lives and futures in many ways. With this bill, rape victims will no longer be able to turn to campus health services to obtain emergency contraceptives to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, or receive postrape counseling and education — adding even more stress to a traumatic event. Students who want birth-control prescriptions, emergency contraceptives or even information about preventive birth control are forced to seek out these services at off-campus clinics. " There's more . . .
Tags: reproductive rights
Feminism
contraception
