Parental Notification for Contraceptives?

As part of their ever-increasing effort to exert greater control over female sexuality, the Christian Right is now seeking to impose parental notification requirements on teens who want birth control pills.

The legislation was introduced by Tom Coburn, a Republican from Oklahoma who has claimed that gays are the greatest threat to American freedom and that "mass impeachment" of judges may be necessary:

"This bill does nothing but put parents back in charge of their adolescent daughters," said Coburn. "In almost every area of our children's lives strict parental notification standards and laws are in place," he added.

"For example, as a practicing physician, I am required to receive parental authorization, except in emergency situations, before I can provide any medical care to a child. Our schools require a permission slip from a parent before the school can give their child aspirin. Yet, at the same time, children can obtain prescription contraceptives at public health clinics without even notifying their parents." Coburn said. [CNS News]

Ann at Feministing notes that there are no exemptions in this legislation like there are in laws which require parental notification for abortion. Thus, a teen whose parents are abusive and/or estranged won't be able to obtain contraceptives at all. What kind of nutty system would make abortion easier to obtain than birth control pills? This is especially problematic because one in five teens would just have unprotected sex if parental notification were necessary for getting contraception — thus likely raising the rates of abortion for this age group.

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