Thanks, Birth Control
The war on women's bodies presents itself in many forms. It usually dresses up as sexual assault, pro-life, pro-choice, female genital mutilation, and all those other important issues that we rather avoid talking about. It never fails to make a grand entrance on the stage during election time. The war I'm talking about is frequently accepted as normal conversation. "When are you going to have kids?"
Invasive question.
The truth is when I can afford them and when I'm ready to have someone else become the focus of my life. When children are in the picture, it's not about you anymore.
Do these people who ask this question realize:
some women don't want children
some women have reproductive difficulty
some women just don't want you in their business
some women (me) are busy enjoying their lives without a dependent
If I plan on having children and it was any of your business- I'd let you know. In recent years, the American Journal of Public Health reported that about half of all pregnancies in the United States were unintended.
I'm preoccupied building the foundation for my legacy so no, I don't intend to have children anytime soon. Yes, I dream about the day I will have my own little family, a nice house, a cute little girl with chubby cheeks just like me. Last month the beau and I spent about five hours with my supervisor's 8 month old baby, Maya, and that experience reaffirmed the path I'm on right now is exactly where I should be.
So today November 10, 2015 I would like to say "Thanks, Birth Control," for having my back- keeping me on this childless path, making my cramps disappear, and shortening the days I have to wear black pants because of my paranoia. Bedsider created this cute little song that exemplifies my gratitude for my birth control.
For y'all who aren't aware -Bedsider is an amazing "online birth control support network for women 18-29 operated by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, a private non-profit organization. Bedsider is not funded by pharmaceutical companies. Or the government. Bedsider is totally independent and the info on it is honest and unbiased. Our goal is to help women find the method of birth control that’s right for them and learn how to use it consistently and effectively, and that's it."
In my own words, they are "the bomb.org"
I've known about them for years because my sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. has a partnership with the National Campaign so Bedsider provided us with shirts years ago that said, "The best sex is safe sex." They are a great resource for everything birth control- learning the different methods, videos from real women and men discussing their candid experiences with contraception, friendly birth control reminders sent straight to your phone, and my favorite, "Frisky Fridays" which are weekly emails about sex, life, and love (*wink wink* they teach you a lot- you don't want to miss them).
November 10, 2015 - we are celebrating Thanks Birth Control #ThxBirthControl it is an awareness campaign that makes birth control a fun and important topic to talk about. Join the movement now by posting a selfie with the hashtag #ThxBirthControl, sharing one of their funny postcards, or just starting a conversation with your friends about it. As for me, I'll proudly wear one of my cute shirts. Which shirt should I wear?
Bedsider has such clever shirts, buy one here so we can match. They are only $10!
For some intense fun and laughs join Modern Day Matchmaker Paul C. Brunson and expert guests, including celebrity OBGYN Dr. Drai for a Spreecast chat about sex, love, and relationships on Tuesday, November 10th at 8PM. Register here (it’s free), and share it with those who might be interested.
Paul is talented, I heard him on a panel at Blogalicious. I know and love Dr. Drai, he keeps it real, raw, and will have you dying laughing.
If you aren't available at 8pm, you can join the Twitter chat at 2pm EST with Bedsider and Refinery29 #R29xBedsider
At 2pm, find me on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook to see which shirt I chose to wear and what props I use to top it off!