Geez! A lot of small news bits this week about sexual politics issues. These can easily be lumped into three categories:
Bad News
Plan B is still a political issue? Are you serious? When the emergency contraception pill first came the United States, it took years to get approval and then was only allowed as a prescription drug for women over age 17. After a lawsuit revealed that the FDA’s decision to not allow its over-the-counter use was made based on politics, not science, the drug was finally approved for over-the-counter use by adults. Recently, the FDA decided the pill could be used used over-the-counter by teens, too. But this week, the head of the Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius overruled the FDA’s scientists, taking the unprecedented move of deciding teens wouldn’t understand how to use the pills. Right.
Bad News That’s Now Good News
Pennsylvania decided to do a public service ad campaign against date rape, which is a good thing to pour public dollars into because Pennsylvania has arguably the worst sexual assault laws in the country. Sadly, their resulting ad campaign didn’t focus on stopping rapists, reporting assaults, or reforming their own laws, but blaming rape victims for drinking too much.
Classy, y’all! After dozens of complaints to the state, the PSAs were pulled today.
Genuine Good News
Have you read this New York Times magazine article about sex-positive sex ed? It’s really great! While most news about reproductive rights and sexual health focuses on the latest outrage after another, it’s nice to know that some people are making actual progress.
Holy crap that Pennsylvania ad campaign is horrific on so many levels. What were they thinking? I know that most of the bullshit that the various government agencies irresponsibly put out isn’t reviewed by anyone, but this is exceptional even taking that into consideration. Did a fraternity full of 4chan trolls dupe whatever brain-dead state agency is responsible for this into thinking they were a legitimate marketing firm or something?
Did you also notice how all the teenagers photographed in that NYTimes article are from PORTLAND! Why is that important? I don’t know. But the New York Times wants you to know that.