The Pros and Cons
ENC 1011
Birth Control in American Society
The Pros and Cons
“On May 9, 1960, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the marketing of the first birth control pill in the United States.” The battle over birth control waged on long before F.D.A’s approval. Since its creation, arguments both pro and anti birth control have been immense. From religious beliefs to freedom of choice, both sides still have yet to find a middle ground on this matter. Whether negative or positive, birth control has had a tremendous impact on American society with no compromise in sight. The pro birth control side believes we must know in the war of birth control what exactly we are fighting for, teens are going to have to sex before marriage regardless, and parents have to do what they can to minimize the effects of it. According to one thinker, “The first step in determining the dispense of birth control is acknowledging the frequency of non-marital sex, and willingness to consider its consequences.” Backed by Susan Jacoby studies, indicating that the percent of the population having sex by the age of 21 rose from 40% to 70% were for the entire population. Today, 77% of men and women will have had sex, including 75% who will have had premarital sex, by the age of 20. Consequently, 95% of the entire population will have had sex outside of marriage by the age of 44, and they will overwhelmingly have done so with someone other than a person they will eventually marry (Jacoby). Naomi Cahn, a professor from George Washington University Law School once stated, “ The war for non-premarital sex was lost long ago, we’re now combatting the results of the loss with our main weapon being birth control.” Once conceding defeat, the belief is that parents can neutralize the consequences of teens having sex by giving them birth control. On the other hand the anti birth control side; tends to believe by parents giving birth control to teens, they are in fact promoting teen promiscuity.
Birth Control in American Society
The Pros and Cons
“On May 9, 1960, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the marketing of the first birth control pill in the United States.” The battle over birth control waged on long before F.D.A’s approval. Since its creation, arguments both pro and anti birth control have been immense. From religious beliefs to freedom of choice, both sides still have yet to find a middle ground on this matter. Whether negative or positive, birth control has had a tremendous impact on American society with no compromise in sight. The pro birth control side believes we must know in the war of birth control what exactly we are fighting for, teens are going to have to sex before marriage regardless, and parents have to do what they can to minimize the effects of it. According to one thinker, “The first step in determining the dispense of birth control is acknowledging the frequency of non-marital sex, and willingness to consider its consequences.” Backed by Susan Jacoby studies, indicating that the percent of the population having sex by the age of 21 rose from 40% to 70% were for the entire population. Today, 77% of men and women will have had sex, including 75% who will have had premarital sex, by the age of 20. Consequently, 95% of the entire population will have had sex outside of marriage by the age of 44, and they will overwhelmingly have done so with someone other than a person they will eventually marry (Jacoby). Naomi Cahn, a professor from George Washington University Law School once stated, “ The war for non-premarital sex was lost long ago, we’re now combatting the results of the loss with our main weapon being birth control.” Once conceding defeat, the belief is that parents can neutralize the consequences of teens having sex by giving them birth control. On the other hand the anti birth control side; tends to believe by parents giving birth control to teens, they are in fact promoting teen promiscuity.