I totally agree with her message that bros (or you know, even just men in general not of the bro-persuasion) can take a stand when it comes to reproductive rights. I know quite a few who are (yay!), but there’s always strength in numbers.

The humorous concept was able to point out some of the very serious nonsense happening around regulating reproductive rights in the U.S. and how this is a chance for men and women to band together and help protect important rights.

I will say though that I wasn’t totally crazy about the final line . I know, it’s comedy, but after a message about people being willing to helping each other out, it just felt weird to me to end this message with potential oral sex as the incentive to get guys to help. Is it just me?

In any case, the video asks viewers to check out AisFor.org and DrawTheLine.org. If you have a few minutes, you may want to take a look and learn a little bit more about what these organizations are doing to make strides when it comes to reproductive rights.

What did you think about this video? Do you agree with Sarah Silverman’s message? Do you know any “bros” willing to stand up for reproductive rights? Did you check out AisFor.org or DrawTheLine.org? Tell us in the comments!

Tina Fey Gets Down With Reproductive Rights

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There are pros (convenience) and cons (costs) to buying birth control over the counter. | Source: Shutterstock

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, your insurance probably covers your birth control prescriptions. But will you even need a prescription soon? Maybe not.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists–a really influential group when it comes to your babymaker–released a report saying that selling birth control over the counter could really help curb unintended pregnancies. You might be like, “Okay, how? Especially if birth control is available all over as it is?” Here’s the thing: A lot of women and girls who need birth control can’t always afford the doctor’s visit to get it, and even if they can, often it’s hard to squeeze an appointment in before you run out of your pills, which can lead some women to miss doses.

If birth control is available over the counter, you can run in anywhere at anytime and snag a pack if you need it–no need to wait for an appointment, sit in a waiting room, or wait for a fax to go through from your doc. It also makes sense when you consider that Plan B is available over the counter for anyone 18 and up–and it’s got the same hormones in it as birth control pills do, just in a higher dose.

The only issue that comes with selling birth control pills over the counter is the price issue. Because of the Affordable Care Act, most of us won’t have to pay a copay for oral contraceptives (meaning when you get a prescription for them, your insurance will cover it and save you out of pocket expenses). If birth control is sold over the counter, then you’ll have to pay for it out of pocket. That presents a conundrum, because if someone can’t afford a doctor’s appointment to get birth control pills, they likely won’t be able to afford paying for them out of pocket, either.

The FDA is offering to meet with drug companies to discuss options regarding over the counter birth control, but it’s unclear if any of them have bitten the bait yet. And if they do go through with it, chances are birth control would be treated like Plan B in that anyone under 18 would need a prescription for it. So while it may not even happen at all, if birth control were to be sold over the counter, it likely wouldn’t affect you for a while.

Do you think birth control should be sold over the counter? Would you be more likely to use birth control pills if you didn’t have to go to a doctor first? Would you be willing to pay out of pocket for birth control pills if it saved you time from going to the gyno? Tell us in the comments!

Can you get free birth control? Probably!

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Birth control pills are nothing to be ashamed of. | Source: Shutterstock

I went to visit my parents for a weekend recently, and I brought my birth control pills with me–because, well, you’re supposed to take them every single day, and without them, my periods are heavy and make me really sick (something I inherited from my mom’s genes). I left my birth control pills as well as an antibiotic for a stupid sinus infection at my usual seat at their kitchen table, that way I’d remember to take them both with my breakfast.

Except when I woke up and groggily went to pop my pills with my Peanut Butter Crunch, the tiny green monthly pack was missing. I thought maybe I forgot to take it out of my bag, or that I left it in my old room, but after a ton of digging in every imaginable place I could have left it, they were still gone. I wound up having to take my pill a lot later than normal because the pack was MIA.

Eventually I asked my mom if she’d seen them. Guess what? She did. Why? Because she hid them from me. WTF? Yes, my own mother hid my birth control pills. Why did she do that? “Because I don’t want those things out,” she whispered. “They’re embarrassing!”

Uh, okay. Taking pills to make sure my cramps don’t make me miss work to stay in the fetal position for a week is embarrassing? Being sexually healthy and responsible is shameful? I don’t understand her line of thinking, because my mom doesn’t even know who Rush Limbaugh is. And by all accounts, she’d probably detest him as much as we do. But apparently she, like the ignorant radio douchebag, assumes that birth control pills indicate promiscuity. And while in my case it’s far from it (I’m quite the prude, much to the chagrin of a lot of dudes who assume otherwise), there’s nothing wrong with being sexually active if the partners involved are consensual, of age, and responsible. No one’s sex life is anyone’s business, and assuming things about someone’s sex life based on whether or not she pops birth control pills is just plain stupid. Oral contraceptives serve a bunch of health purposes, and they’re nothing to be ashamed of. It’s just one example of how slut shaming can actually affect your health.

Plus, I always figured illegitimate grandchildren would embarrass her a lot more.

Have you ever been ashamed of taking birth control? Do you have a hard time talking about birth control with your parents, even if it’s for health reasons? Tell us in the comments!

Girls take birth control for a LOT of reasons other than sex!

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Free birth control may not be for you–yet! | Source

Not quite. Free Birth Control Day actually doesn’t apply to most people–at least not yet–but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get free birth control later on.

Here’s how it works: If you have private insurance (the kind you or your parents get from their jobs, or that you buy yourself), you’ll likely be affected, but it probably won’t happen right away. If you or your family use Medicaid, there’s a chance you may get free birth control, but only if your particular state OKs it.

Another thing that may determine whether or not you’re eligible for free birth control is when you or your parents got your insurance plan. If your insurance started before August 1, you may not be eligible for free birth control until next year, though some insurers are offering free birth control ASAP. You’ll have to check with your parents or your insurance provider to be sure for each case.

One more potential snag to free birth control? Your or your parents’ employer. If you or your parents work for a religious organization that doesn’t support contraception, your free birth control may not actually be free until next year, even if its prescribed for a medical reason.

That said, most of these obstacles will be gone next year, which will enable women to get free birth control, including pills (mostly generic brands, but let’s be real, the ingredients are usually identical) and sterilization. Not only will you get free birth control, but you’ll also be eligible for a free annual exam, HPV testing, gestational diabetes testing (if you’re preggers), STD and HIV screening and counseling, breast pumps (if you’re preggers or a mom) and domestic violence counseling. Not a bad deal, right?

To be clear, you still need a prescription for your free birth control, and to be on the safe side, when you go to make a doctor’s appointment for your free services, specify that you are coming just for services covered by the Affordable Care Act–or else you may get an unpleasant surprise later on when your bill comes.

Are you happy that you can get free birth control now? When are you eligible for free birth control? Do you think religious organizations should influence your ability to get free birth control, even if it’s for a medical reason? Tell us in the comments!

What Birth Control Is Right For You?

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Condoms: totally awesome, but unfortunately, not 100% foolproof. | Source: Shutterstock

My boyfriend and I had just finished getting it on and he sat up, looked down at my crotch, and said calmly, “You have a drizzling of semen on your pubes.” I, however, did not reply so calmly, and instead yelled, “ARE YOU F___ING KIDDING ME?!” He shook his head and I stared at the ceiling for a second, thinking maybe I was about to get pregnant, and feeling cheated because we had used a condom, although of course condoms aren’t 100% foolproof (condom failure or user error, we’ll never know). And all of a sudden, I remembered something and a calm came over me too. “Well,” I said, “let’s get cleaned up and go to a pharmacy for Plan B.”

In case you’re not sure what Plan B is, I’ll clarify: taking Plan B (often called the “morning-after pill”) within 72 hours of birth control failure (or failure to use birth control) can prevent pregnancy. If you’re like, “Huh?!,” just stay with me here. Sperm can live up to several days inside of you, and an egg may not be right there yet, waiting to be fertilized. Taking Plan B prevents ovulation (when your ovary releases an egg) and also helps prevent any egg that is there from attaching to your uterine wall. Basically, it can keep the sperm and the egg from hooking up. (By the way? Plan B is NOT the same as RU-486, which induces a chemical abortion. If you’re already pregnant, Plan B will not cause an abortion, and you’ll stay pregnant unless you decide to do something else about it.)

ANYWAY. Back to my story! My guy and I didn’t have to discuss, debate, or despair about the decision. Before my boyfriend and I had ever had sex, we’d had a discussion about what would happen if I got pregnant. It wasn’t much of a discussion even then: neither of us want kids, and so terminating a pregnancy would be the only acceptable option for us in the case of a pregnancy–but preventing a pregnancy through Plan B seemed even better.

You have 72 hours to take it after an incident in which you think you might have gotten pregnant, but why wait? We went out immediately to purchase it. Asking the pharmacist for Plan B was a little awkward (even though Plan B is non-prescription for women over 17, it’s stored behind the pharmacist’s counter, so you do have to ask for it), although the pharmacist seemed unfazed. She confirmed that the accident had occurred within the last 72 hours, then handed me a box and briefed me on possible side effects (nausea, fatigue, headaches, dizziness). My boyfriend and I plunked down $40 (cost varies depending on where you buy it, and you can also print a $10 discount coupon from Plan B’s website). I figured it was absolutely worth the money, because an abortion would cost WAY more), I put the Plan B in my purse, and off we went. “Bottoms up,” I nervously said in the car, took a swig of juice, then swallowed the pill. I went out with friends for hours afterward; I didn’t feel any side effects.

Taking Plan B let me continue living my life. | Source: Shutterstock

I got my period right on schedule a couple weeks later. At no point have I regretted taking Plan B; neither my boyfriend nor I were emotionally or financially stable enough to have a baby, besides the fact that neither of us wanted to be parents, period. I hope to never have to do it again, although should I be faced with another birth control failure (protection=really important!!!), I know I would. I made the right choice.

Have you ever taken Plan B? Do you know anyone who has? Do you think Plan B should be available to teenagers without their parents permission? Tell me everything in the comments!

Now, Let’s Talk About Abortion . . . Really.

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Have you ever had to ask your mom for birth control pills? Do you think your mom would flip if you followed Sara’s advice? Tell us everything in the comments!

And Now, Here’s How To Talk About Sex With Your Guy

So, you’re ready to do the deed and you want to be as safe as possible. Good for you! You just have one question: Is a condom enough? Sara’s got the answer and it’s a resounding, “Yes, but…” Probably not what you were hoping for, but it’s the truth. Sara’s got the skinny on condoms, how to use them effectively, and what else you can do to protect yourself when you do the deed.

What kind of protection do you use (or plan on using!) when you have sex? Tell us in the comments!

Want To Talk About Sex Without Seeming Slutty?

Levi Johnston will be a dad again. Doesn't he have another hobby--or access to condoms? | Source: Shutterstock

Following his tumultuous relationship with Bristol (the former couple can’t seem to agree on anything, from whether Tripp was planned to whether or not they were drunk on wine coolers when they first had sex), you’d think Levi was too busy posing for Playgirl and penning tell-all books to handle another kid. Despite his busy PR schedule though, the 21-year-old Levi Johnston will be a dad again, this time with girlfriend Sunny Oglesby.

We don’t know for sure, of course, but it could be that this pregnancy happened because this Alaskan Romeo was too preoccupied to use protection: Levi has admitted that his new baby wasn’t planned, but that he’s “so excited” to be a dad again. He told TMZ, “Things happen and we are both happy with what came of it.” Interesting that these “things”–aka an “accidental pregnancy“–happened, and were announced when Sarah Palin is co-hosting the Today Show this week. Just sayin’!

Here’s the thing, though: pregnancies don’t just happen. They happen if you and your partner don’t take the proper steps to prevent them. Levi’s getting a lot of flack for this, but Sunny Oglesby is equally responsible for her body. (We think the world just figured that Levi would know better from experience by now.)

Seeing as you can’t get yourself pregnant (at least not without lengthy paperwork and a plan), pregnancy prevention and contraception isn’t just up to you–or your guy. It’s a shared responsibility. Even if you’re on the Pill, a guy should still use a condom–it’s the only way besides abstinence to prevent STDs, and it provides extra protection against pregnancy. Plus, sex is better when you’re safe, because you can relax and enjoy it instead of freaking out.

No glove? No love! | Source: Shutterstock

Fair enough, but how can you talk to your guy about safe sex? Check out this video for tips on how to explain to your partner that condoms are non-negotiable if he wants to sleep with you–and that they can actually be pretty fun!

Have you ever been with a guy who didn’t want to use protection? Have you ever had a pregnancy scare? Do you think birth control is the responsibility of both partners? Do you think it’s good that Levi Johnston will be a dad again? Sound off in the comments!
 
 

Remember Teen Mom Jamie Lynn Spears? Find Out What Happened To Her!

Taking them every day takes responsibility! | Source

By the time we had a conversation about me being sexually active it was too late; I was a pregnant teen wanting an abortion and only told my mom because I had to.

If you’re even just thinking about being sexually active you should definitely have a conversation with your mom, dad, or parental equivalent about birth control. Just because our parents might feel uncomfortable talking about sex doesn’t mean that we have to. Here’s one area where we can lead the way.

Why it’s a good idea to talk.
Getting on birth control can mean many different things, but if you want to be on the pill it’s best to have a convo with Mom or Dad instead of getting a prescription through sneakier means. This talk can be the bridge to a healthier relationship with your parents. Plus, there’s also the issue of cost. You don’t want to start the pill and then skip because you can’t afford it. Lastly, for safety purposes Mom should always be able to tell a doctor what’s potentially in your system.

You're being responsible just by talking to her! | Source

Pick the turf and invite your most trusted parent.
Instead of just popping into the kitchen or meeting your mom in the laundry room, invite her into your bedroom. You say where and when. It well help you feel a little bit more in control of a potentially uncomfy situation and make the chat feel more official.

Address the elephant.
Feeling awkward? Tell her. Start off by saying, “Mom, I feel so nervous about this conversation.” She wiped your snotty nose and changed your poopy diapers. There’s no need to put up a pretense now.

Make your case.
Sounds hokey, but you can practice in advance what you’re going to say. Be clear, honest and succinct. Just put it out there: “Dad, I want to talk about birth control pills.” Once you just say the words you’ll feel so much better. Then you can really talk.

The real deal?
Your parents are not creatures from another planet. It may have been a million years ago, but they were your age once too; probably feeling everything you feel. At the end of the day, they may not express it well, but all of our parents want is what’s best for us. If your parents wig out, act actually scary, or are otherwise unavailable–talk to another trusted adult, like an aunt or guidance counselor.

Good luck! Just remember that you’re doing the right thing and being responsible–even if it takes your mom a little while to see that.

Have you had “the talk with your mom about birth control? How did it go? Tell me everything in the comments!

Worried About Going To The Gyno? These Tips Will Help!

What should you do when your partner doesn’t want to use a condom, but you do? Lena guides you through this touchy situation with reminders on why condoms are non-negotiable and how to keep safety your number one priority. Safe sex is the sexiest kind of sex. Take Lena’s tips on how to have safe sex, and you’ll both be happy you did!