Life

12 Reasons We Are Thankful for Birth Control

by Julie Alvin

November 12, 2014

Planned Parenthood, Upworthy, and birth control support network Bedsider got together on Wednesday to host a #ThxBirthControl themed Twitter chat where various participants (women's magazines, OB-GYNs, writers, activists, etc.) asked and answered questions about the most glorious of modern inventions: contraception. These smart folks covered why it's important to be open about birth control, reasons people use it, how its availability impacts society, and how people can find the best form of contraception for them (probably Mircette 28-day tablets, just sayin').

As Planned Parenthood noted in the chat, "the more we talk about birth control, the less stigmatized it will become," and the dissemination of accurate info on contraception makes it "harder for politicians to spread misinformation and attack our access." As New Yorkers, I think we Bustle editors and writers often take for granted the fact that we live in a climate that is wholly accepting and supportive of the sexual health needs of women. That's not the case everywhere — and we need to both appreciate our luck and fight for the access to and destigmatization of sexual health services for women everywhere.

So we're starting by telling the world why we are thankful for birth control. I wrote last year about how I am thankful that the Pill has allowed me to focus on my career, travel the world, exit from relationships that weren't working, and generally maintain ownership over my body, and therefore my future. I've got something to add to the list for 2014 — I recently took a break from birth control for three months and my periods were worse, my skin broke out, my stress levels shot up, and my relationship suffered. I'm glad to be back on, Thanks, birth control!

Julie Alvin, Senior Lifestyle Editor