The recent news regarding the debate about birth control, over whether the government can require Catholic institutions to provide contraceptive services to their employees, has me frustrated and angry. The Obama administration imposed a rule that would have required large Catholic institutions to offer free contraception services as part of insurance coverage for their employees. The panel for this debate was made up solely of men. Regardless of where you stand on this debate on birth control, the biggest question is: “Where are the women?” I keep asking myself this, and continue to read different articles online about this debate. This article from the Baltimore Sun really hits home for me, as well as this article and this article.

Why are there no women on the panel? How can any man, regardless of skin color, social class, etc have more expertise on this subject? Are not women the most knowledgeable about the impacts of birth control on their lives? How is it 2012, and I am even writing this blog? What I cannot get over, and just enrages me are the mentions of Foster Friess (a top financial backer of former Sen. Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign) said: “You know, back in my days, they used Bayer aspirin for contraception. The gals put it between their knees, and it wasn’t that costly.” He later said it was a joke. SERIOUSLY? Just as the above link starts with: WOW and WTF…that is how I feel. So is Friess an exact replica of all the other men on the panel?

I encourage you to read further on this debate, and speak up. Women should be on that panel, regardless of the side they are on.

Enraged in Portland.