That's a fantastic link - thanks. I'm so glad he's learning and glad to be sharing what he learns. We need people like him to stand on rooftops and shout.

That is an interesting article. But I have to say the part about prescribing birth control to a 12 year old gave me pause. Obviously, if she's going to be having sex it's much better for her to be on birth control than not (though I'd strongly encourage some one that young to use something harder to mess up than the pill--at least a patch or nuvaring). And it's his job to prescribe it to her and not judge the situation. But: I don't think you have to be an abstinence nut to feel strongly that 12 is too young to be having sex. Kids that age are at such a fragile point in their emotional development, there's a high likelihood the situation she's in is fundamentally fucked up, etc. What's the right feminist response to this?

Sara - it's not necessarily the case that the 12 year old is sexually active. It's possible she just started menstruating and has horribly debilitating periods. (Not that it answers your question on the subject of sexuality, but I do get kind of bugged by the pills = having sex assumption sometimes)

micheyd - From the article: "We give out a ton of contraceptives every day. Condoms, pills, patches, rings, shots. And none of the patients I’ve seen are taking these medications for anything other than preventing pregnancy." That said, people do use the pill just as you described. But it doesn't sound like this 12 year old is one of them.

Sara - Actually, it doesn't sound like the 12 year old is necessarily on the pill at all. She asked how it worked, yes, but that doesn't mean she's on it. She could just be curious and interested in knowing, which I support. I do agree that 12 seems too young for having sex, but not for sex education.

Low estrogen birth control pills are often prescribed to control acne. And yeah, just because the 12-year old asked about the pill, it doesn't mean that she's actually taking them.

Thanks Cate - I must have missed that. I'm actually surprised he says that all his patients are using it for pregnancy prevention - I guess that's what most people come to PP for, but hormonal BC does have a variety of uses.

Off topic, but equally interesting: Above this story at the moment is an ad for Jenna Bush's new book 'Ana's Story' about an abused seventeen year old who is pregnant and HIV positive. Funny how her dad is beating down the very programs that offer realistic help and education about those very topics. Makes me wonder what they talk about at the dinner table.

My mom first went to Planned Parenthood as a teen because she thought she'd contracted an STD - it was actually just a run-of-the-mill urinary tract infection. She was too embarrassed to talk to her parents about it.

Thank goodness for Planned Parenthood. All the small services they provide add up to a BIG difference in women's health.

I love PP! When I was insurance-less for about 3 years, I went to Planned parenthood for free Nuva-rings and pap smears. I can recall a lady standing outside the building yelling, "Don't kill your baby!" at me when I left. Flung my pap results at her face.

sara: ive been on hormonal birth control since i was in 6th grade, when i was about 11.

my periods were "backwards." instead of bleeding for 5-7 days and not bleeding for the other 3 weeks of the month, i was bleeding for 2.5-3 weeks, and then not bleeding for one week. my flow was very heavy - i wore overnight pads all the time and had to change them every two hours or so or id soak through. my doctor was afraid i was becoming anemic, among other problems.

a year and a half or so of birth control pills fixed me right up. i gained weight, my coloring improved, and my periods became more normal. for a years they were still 9-10 days long, but after almost 9 years on HBC, my periods are about 3 days long and i only change my cloth pad once a day, if that.

just fyi...

ps - i didnt loose my virginity until i was 16.

Sara - I asked my mom a lot of questions about sex when I was younger, including stuff about birth control. I didn't have any desire to be on it though and I'm still not taking it. I think the majority of 12 yr old girls would ask that question, even if they don't have the intention of getting it any time soon.

Also, even if a 12 yr old girl asked for birth control, I would prefer that she'd get it. I agree, 12 is way too young to be having sex. I think you'd have a hard time finding anyone who doesn't think that. However, even after we all agree on that, what good does that do? Even if we don't think she should be having sex, that wouldn't stop her. She'd most likely still have sex, even without birth control. I'd rather see a sexually active young girl with birth control than a young girl with kids.

My best friend's mom is a General Practitioner and works at Planned Parenthood. They actually don't perform abortions there. The abortion clinic is on the other side of town. I always want to yell that to the people protesting outside her office. You'd think they could at least check their facts before grabbing the picket signs.

MLEmac, if anti-choicers checked their facts, they'd be pro-choice.

Anyway, if you guys liked that guy's blog, you should check out iamemilyx.blogspot.com. She's counting the protesters outside the PP where she works during that ridiculous "40 Days for Life" bullshit campaign. People pledge to donate, for example, 10 cents for each protester outside the clinic. She's raised over $1,000 so far.

I'll put my two cents in as another person who went on BC for non-birth control reasons. But maybe what the article means is that if you're going to Planned Parenthood, you're likely on the medicine for birth control. Since I went on for primary dysmenohrrea my mom knew that's what I was doing and took me to the OB-GYN to get the perscription. If a teenager's going to PP for her birth control, it's probably because she doesn't want her parents to know she's on it, because it's for birth control. Maybe, obviously I can't speak for 100% of the cases out there.

My last step-grandfather had left his estate to Planned Parenthood before he married my grandmother in the last year of his life. He'd never been married to that point, didn't have children, and lived in a very christian/conservative area so it surprised me when I learned that he'd wanted to leave everything to PP. Still, it made me proud that I'd known him for even the short time he was with our family.

I had planned on doing my own post about what Planned Parenthood is really all about. Graham beat me to the punch.

Thanks for providing the link, Jessica! This destroys the anti-choice argument that Planned Parenthood is all about abortion. I hope that all of the Dems in the 2008 Presidential race are paying attention to the med student's blog.

What's the right feminist response to this?

Assuming that the 12-year-old is having sex, and assuming that there is a proper feminist response (as opposed to a variety of responses, all influenced by a concern for women's health and well-being), one option is:
1. Give her the birth control; and
2. Ask her to meet with a counselor or an older person (kind of like a big sister). If she refuses, fine.
3. No matter what, ask how old the guy is. If it's statutory rape, report it - better her rapist be in jail than fucking her, with or without birth control.

Yes, I agree with that, mostly. But I don't think medical providers can report--doesn't that violate doctor-patient confidentiality? On the other hand, doctors can report child abuse, right? On a third hand, that might drive the kid away from the only source of sexual health care she has, which would be a dreadful idea. So, I'm a bit ambivalent about reporting her repugnant rapist boyfriend (rapist if he's older, obviously--if he's 12 or 13, then he's another kid who's having sex way too young, in my opinion, and should be encouraged to come in to learn about his sexual health too).

Thanks for the link. I talk at great length about what PP does besides abortions at every opportunity. I have been using their services for 13 years and will continue even with insurance (they do accept some insurance plans).

PP is such a wonderful service. Because of it, I have been able to stay healthy and plan when I will have children even when I could barely afford my heating bill.