Anti-Abortion Group Suddenly Very Concerned About Women’s Health

Perhaps you’ve been on the ol’  Twitter machine today and seen the “Tweetstorm” for #ThePillKills. No? Well, maybe that’s because it’s not exactly burning up the trending topics chart; and much of what’s being tweeted with that hashtag is actually in support of the pill. And facts.

But no matter — you just wait for this Saturday’s National Day of Action! That’s when they’re really gonna show the world (or, at least, a few Planned Parenthood locations and some local pharmacies) the mighty power of the tiny population passionately opposed to contraception. It sounds like a lot of fun.

What is that you say? You’re not opposed to contraception? Well maybe you just haven’t heard all the deadly facts! Unfortunately, you aren’t likely to get many of those from visiting ThePillKills website. The group behind this campaign, American Life League (ALL), is not merely an anti-abortion group. It’s “closely aligned with the Catholic Church and opposes birth control.” (They were also an enthusiastic backer of the extreme anti-abortion tactics promoted by Operation Rescue” — but that’s another story.)

The question is: how do you convince women who’ve come to depend upon reliable birth control to give it up? Well…when “bringing Jesus to Planned Parenthood” fails, there’s nothing left but to scare the bejeezus out of those harlots! ALL’s propaganda leads with the literally tens of  terrifying stories they could find of women injured or killed from complications associated with the pill. (Except, that’s technically not true since at least a third of their stories involve the patch or Nuvaring — but we’ll let it slide.) The fact that the women in the very stories they choose to share had other medical conditions and/or were taking other medications at the time seems to dissuade them not at all.

Then they pile on with the full list of possible side effects, lifted straight from the packaging inserts of just about every type of hormonal contraceptive ever sold, and (naturally) presented as though they all apply to every type currently available… I could go on. But you get the idea.

Despite the fact that licensing agencies the world over deem these medications safe and effective; despite the fact that, for decades, millions of women around the world have safely used the pill; despite the fact that a “the risk of having a car accident or even an accident at home is much greater than the risk of using the pill”; despite all that, this group chooses to fear-monger on the issue of safety.

Are there risks to using the pill? Certainly. Just like there are risks associated with all medications. (Hence, all the fine print.) But when it comes to grabbing a Tylenol for my headache, we’re okay allowing me to weigh the risks and make my choice, assuming that I’m as able as the next person of reading the fine print. Why would contraception be any different? Because Jesus, I guess?

This willingness to dissemble on medical matters for the sake of imposing their own religious ideology on women is nothing new. It’s part and parcel of “lying for Jesus“. And it’s fine. Ends justify the means, yada, yada… But we need to be on the look out for this kind of thing. Because while ALL’s National Day Of Action is unlikely to move the needle on public opinion, policy is another story.

Just take a look at Ohio, where Republican legislators are pushing a bill that would ban insurance coverage for abortion, as well as the pill and IUD, among other forms of birth control. Why? Because some Republicans believe the pill and IUDs are basically abortion, even though, as the bill’s sponsor, State Rep. John Becker says, “This is just a personal view. I’m not a medical doctor.”

At least Becker pretends it’s actually about abortion, rather than a religious opposition to contraception of any kind or a patriarchy desperately clinging to its ability to control women’s lives.  Elsewhere around the country, we see more and more legislatures taking the same devious approach as these ThePillKills jokers. Namely, it’s all about women’s health.

We just want you to be safe! That’s why we have to enact overly restrictive regulations on abortion providers (which, as Republicans, we oppose for every other industry), forcing the closing of clinics and severely limiting your reproductive choices! It’s all about protecting the little ladies. Honest.

By: Sandi Behrns

Sandi Behrns is a noted policy nerd, new media & web developer, and consultant to progressive organizations and campaigns. She is a senior contributor to Liberaland, and the Executive Editor of Progressive Congress News.