Contraceptives have been in the news a lot recently, from the controversy over installing the contraceptive Plan B in a university vending machine, to the dispute over whether faith-based organizations should cover birth control.
Despite the controversy, many Bowling Green State University students agree everyone should have access to contraceptives, but they disagree on who should pay for it.
Junior Charlie Polinko of Columbia Station, Ohio, an international studies and political science major, said he fully supports birth control.
“If a doctor says that it’s okay for a woman to take, then she should be able to take it,” Polinko said.
Sophomore Kyle Bailey of Boca Raton, Florida, an electronics and computer technology major, said that since men make up the majority of Congress, they should not be allowed to make decisions for women regarding birth control.
Despite BGSU student’s agreement regarding contraception, they had differing ideas over who should pay for it.
Senior Sarah Keane of Avon Lake, Ohio, an adolescent young adult math education major, said that birth control should be fully covered by health insurance due to the cost of birth control.
“If people can’t afford birth control, they can’t afford kids,” she said.
Freshman Brittany Brouwer of Perrysburg, Ohio, a math and science middle childhood education major, said that health insurance should partially pay for birth control due to reproduction being a personal choice.
University students also had differing views regarding the level of sexual activity that could result if birth control became covered by health insurance.
Some students said sexual activity may increase if contraceptives received coverage.
“I think the cost has a lot to do with it in my experience being a poor college student,” said sophomore Kyle Sharp of East Canton, Ohio, a creative writing major.
Freshman Charbel Daher of Mayfield Heights, Ohio, an adolescent young adult education major, said if contraceptives received full coverage by health insurance, people’s sexual activity would likely increase because it could make safe sex easier and more convenient.
However, other people thought that the level of sexual activity would stay the same or decrease if contraceptives were fully covered by health insurance and more accessible.
Freshman Evan Acri of North Jackson, Ohio, a film studies major, said that contraceptives being more available could make him less sexually active because it would take away the risk.
Senior Desirea Jones of Columbus, Ohio, a health care specialization and pre-occupational therapy major, said that covering contraception fully by health insurance would not increase the level of sexual activity.
“It would get more awareness to safe sex, but I don’t think it’s going to increase, it will actually just protect them if anything,” she said.
Junior Rachel Rutter of Celina, Ohio, a human development and family studies major, said that in order for things to change, the United States needs to change the way people educate children.
“We’re still funding abstinence only programs, but it doesn’t work in our society,” she said.
