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Persuasive Essay On Birth Control

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In the United States, twenty six states allow minors, defined as children twelve and older, to consent to contraceptive services; Michigan allows some minors, such as those who are married or have previously been pregnant, to consent; four states have no standing laws or policy (“An Overview” 1-2). The contraceptive access also varies across the country. Some states require comprehensive sexual education and for teens to be able to access contraceptives. Some lean more towards abstinence only education in the hopes teens will steer away from sexual activities. There are also scattered clinics where teens can receive birth control. For many parents, this term conjures up images of teenage sex or pregnancy, which can cause them to ignore its …show more content…

The parents have since partnered with a conservative nonprofit legal organization, Pacific Justice Institute, in hopes of pulling the program from the schools as they suspect Planned Parenthood is attempting to coerce the teens into having sex in order to receive more funding for abortions (Culp-Ressler 5-6). They are convinced access to contraceptives will increase the rates and risks of teenage sex. The parents believe they should be able to opt their children out of sex education and prevent them from accessing birth control. They decide that removing the ability for safe sex will force children into abstinence.
In truth, contraceptive access will not increase the rates of teen sex, according to a 2017 paper co-authored by five John Hopkins doctors and pediatricians (Gebelhoff 7). The pamphlet used to help teens decide if they are ready should be viewed as a good thing because it gives students reasons not to proceed (Culp-Ressler 4). Additionally, John Hopkins says, teenagers on the pill or other hormonal birth control options are more likely to be protected from pregnancy than those who use condoms because the pill has a lower rate of failure and is not influenced by pressures in the moment (Gebelhoff 8). Hormonal birth control is more effective at preventing pregnancy, but it would be impossible for most teen girls with reluctant parents to obtain if states require parental permission due to the scarcity of clinics and lack of over the counter

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