The Problem 

A lot of people do not completely understand the benefits and inconveniences birth control provides to women.  

Birth control can be used for far more than just preventing pregnancy. It can empower young women to feel more comfortable in their bodies, to take responsibility when deciding to be sexually active and to symbolize the right to our bodily autonomy.  

Being Comfortable in My Skin 

“A lot of people see birth control as more of a sexual thing than a medical device,” Junior Kyla Groves said.  

Kyla Groves decided to use an arm implant as her form of birth control to help with her irregular periods and to prevent pregnancy.  

“My cycle is more stable, and I eat more consistently,” Groves said.  

Groves had explained that before she went on birth control, she had missed a lot of school due to the severeness of her menstrual cycle. Going on birth control helped her enjoy more comfortable day-to-day when she is on her period, and it lets her focus on her academics. 

Birth control can also help women feel more comfortable in their bodies. Senior Sophia Motta explained how she went on the pill to help her with her physical health since she was struggling with acne and hair loss.  

Motta went off birth control for a period because of COVID-19. “I was feeling so bad because I was getting so ugly,” Motta said.  

Motta explained how birth control has helped her a lot with her self-esteem and mental health since it regulates her hormones and makes her feel more comfortable with her body. 

 Breaking Stereotypes  

When people decide to be sexually active a lot of people must rely on the man to take responsibility for using contraceptives like condoms. Junior Khandi Verbile took things into her own hands, by choosing to get an IUD.  

“It lasts 3 years, and I don’t have to worry about it,” Verbile said.   

For most people, high school is not the time for having a child, so being able to take responsibility for both her partner and herself is breaking a common stereotype that the guy is responsible for bringing contraceptives. 

Bodily Autonomy 

It is worth noting that birth control is not always the answer to every hormonal problem, and can sometimes worsen things like mental health, physical health, and even be a very painful or scary procedure.  

Senior Jada Fields had tried going on the pill to help regulate her menstrual cycle, but it did not work out the best for her. 

“It made me feel icky,” Fields said.  

Fields had explained how birth control made her feel excessively tired and she would find herself avoiding taking it.  

Both Verbile and Groves described their procedures as scary and painful.  

“It was the most painful experience I’ve ever felt,” Verbile said about her procedure for her IUD. 

She explained that the IUD had induced more irregular periods and migraines. It also messed with her relationship with food, making her want to eat some days but not want to eat others.  

While Kyla Grooves is happy with her arm implant, she did explain how the procedure for getting it was very scary to watch.  

“It’s like a huge needle being slingshot into your arm,” Grooves said. 

After she first went on birth control it deeply affected her relationships with people and her decision-making.  

“For the first couple of months I was very manic,” Grooves said.  

Kyla said she made very rash decisions like dying her hair a new color and getting a new piercing within that brief period. She also explained how she had broken up with her then-boyfriend and stopped talking to her dad.  

While none of these experiences are favorable, women still get the chance to decide if they want to stay on birth control or not. If a form of birth control does not work for them, they still have the right to weigh out their pros and cons to decide if they would like to stay on birth control or not, and that is completely their decision. 

Empowerment 

Birth control works differently for everybody, but what is important is that we all do what is best for our health and do whatever makes us feel the most comfortable in our bodies.  

Whether that be to stick with birth control because it regulates your period to go off it because it makes you feel “icky,” or to not even go on birth control at all. That is completely your choice and that is what matters most.  

Birth Control empowers women to take a stance on their reproductive, mental, and physical health.