Why Is Birth Control Important Essay

Birth control also known as contraceptives, has been used for thousands of years with varied results from all different crowds. During the Ancient Egypt era, a paste made of honey, sodium carbonate, and crocodile dung was a popular form of contraception. (Time Video and Gibson; 2015) Women found that in the 19th and 20th centuries, it was very hard to find effective contraception due to the strict laws implied that doctors were not allowed to spread information about birth control. Methods such as Lysol and Coca-Cola were used to kill the sperm, as a replacement for birth control.

Throughout this informative research paper, birth control will be discussed, more specifically the 2 most prominent forms; condoms and the contraceptive pill. The paper will reveal the many changes and developments that have severely affected the immense female community in our society, to help readers deeply understand the importance of contraceptives and the sexualization of such a unique technology within North America. The sexualization of Birth Control in Our Society To begin with, birth control plays a very important role in our society whether it be condoms or the contraceptive pill. It is made to prevent pregnancy, prevent sperm from getting to the eggs, and keep a woman’s ovaries from releasing eggs that could be fertilized. Condoms and hormonal pills are the most prominent forms of contraception that have been established for several years throughout history. The choice of birth control one chooses for themselves depends on the health of the user, frequency of sexual activity, number of sexual partners, and the desire to have children in the future.

The choice of birth control someone takes is one of the ways it is sexualized in our community. When teenagers speak about using birth control or buying condoms, it is automatically assumed that one is sexually active and is degraded sexually for doing so. This is seen highly when one purchases contraceptives, they are looked at weirdly and put in the category that is immensely sexualized. Sexual intercourse is seen as a sexualized action taken place for pleasure and is sometimes even seen as a “bad” thing in our society when spoken about in public. The media plays an immense role in these beliefs and portrayals. It is one of the most important factors in the initiation of sexual intercourse. The media that children and teenagers view today portray it as casual sex with absolutely no consequences whereas teenagers today NEED straightforward information about human sexuality and the importance of using contraceptives during intercourse. (Strasburger, 2010) The media such as television, films, music, and the internet are very sexually explicit and do not display information on abstinence, sexual responsibility, and birth control is rarely shown on American television. (Strasburger, 2010)

In the United States, people believe that giving teenagers access to birth control will make them sexually active at a younger age. Birth control is excessively sexualized in the public and given false accusations as stated above. There have been many clinical trials completed that prove giving teenagers access to condoms and other forms of birth control do not increase sexual activity or encourage sexual intercourse, but it helps teen pregnancy rates decrease as time goes on. Forms of Birth Control; Condoms One of the well-known birth control forms the public uses significantly is condoms. Condoms are known as one of the greatest inventions of the 19th century by the Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw. This form of contraceptive is a thin rubber that is worn by the male on the penis during sexual intercourse as a protection again sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. When the condom was established, many historians spoke about birth control as one of the most important parts of the history of sexuality, family, religion, social regulation, and private behavior. (Tone, 2002) Shaws' invention of condoms was highly appreciated and a very respected technological change in society.

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The ability of rubber skin, to prevent both the delivery of diseases and pregnancy was widely recognized in the world. Condoms had become a ‘commercial vitality technological change.’ (Tone, 2002) Condoms have dramatically changed and developed in the past decades and have become more safe, efficient and come in many different forms. When condoms were first invented, there was one form that everyone had used but now, there are many different brands and companies that one can choose from when purchasing the item. Other new condoms are being tested and designed as we speak today. This improved technology guarantees that the best condom manufacturers will be able to make the most uniform, strong, and elastic latex condoms for users to enjoy safely and efficiently. (Population records; Apr99)

Many of the changes made to condoms throughout the years are the materials, sizes, shapes, colors, textures, scents, and flavors, and also new kinds of lubricants for the users. There were many complaints of the older condoms being too tight and uncomfortable therefore manufacturers have produced many new models which are designed for each man's needs and desires. Relating to sexuality, the designs of each condom are heavily sexualized as well because every user has different needs during sexual intercourse which is a highly sexualized act. One of the most dramatic changes in this specific technology is the innovation of female condoms. The female condom is a cotton panty that has a latex pouch that is built into its crotch. The panty covers the entire external female genital area and prevents any fluid from being exchanged or touching the genital areas between both partners. (Population records; Apr99) In many laboratory tests, female condoms have been proven to be the most safe and efficient when it comes to sperm and infectious sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV. These tests are seen as equally comparable to male condoms if not safer and more efficient. The advantage of the female condom is that the women feel more superior and involved in the sexual experience rather than not being the dominant partner at all.

They feel empowered and safer when communicating during sexual intercourse making their sexual pleasure and experience more successful and protected. There are disadvantages to the female condom as well, that being the unattractiveness of the technology itself and some women may find it uncomfortable and painful when utilizing the technology. It may not appeal to some of the women because they might associate the condom with prostitution and infidelity. (Population records; Apr99) The idea of prostitution and infidelity brings back the discussion of how birth control/contraceptives are sexualized and are seen as ‘bad’ in society by many others. Forms of Birth Control; The Hormonal Pill The second well-known birth control form used significantly by many females in our society is The Pill. The Pill is a hormonal oral-contraceptive medication that is taken once daily to prevent pregnancy and protect the user from all sexually transmitted diseases. The Pill was developed in the 1950s by two scientists, George Pincus and his colleague Min Chueh Chang. (Ainsworth, 2011) The idea of the hormonal contraceptive was not invented by scientists but by a woman’s rights activist, Margaret Sanger. She was a nurse in America and was the person behind the launch of the first oral contraceptive. Sanger believed that “no woman can call herself free who doesn’t own and control her own body.” (Ainsworth, 2011) By this quote, she meant to say that men have been in control when it comes to sexuality for decades with condoms, now females can finally empower men and have a say in their sexuality.

Margaret had devoted her time and research to establishing the advanced technology and went against the authorities to get the awareness of such technology out to the public. She had gotten a millionaire biologist, Katherine McCormick to fund her project which then finally made the contraceptive pill official in 1959. It was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and in 1960 was launched worldwide. Within the manufacturing process of the Pill, they focused significantly on the medical technology to be modified and produced to meet social expectations and demands. The development of the pill changed the lives of many women worldwide, especially in the United States where the pregnancy rates were high. To relate to sexuality within birth control technology, the process of medicalization reveals immense sexualization. The research examined that the hormonal contraceptive pill was known as the ‘lifestyle pill’ rather than a medication to cure one. The ‘lifestyle pill’ is the medication that will improve one's life and quality of life instead of treating an illness, as stated before. This has changed how we portray this technology in the public dramatically, meeting social expectations and including social, economic, and cultural changes that then relate to sexuality within the process. This has revealed long-term benefits, not only on fordividual users but also on forciety. (Nucci, 2012) Ever since the contraceptive pill was established in 1960, the specific technology has developed dramatically. As the number of users using the contraceptive pill increased, the various pharmaceutical companies developed new pills and new brands/companies for the technology. In each new development, they decreased hormonal dosages and made the pills have less significant side effects for the users.

The Pill today is 99.9% safe and efficient for users to resort to as a birth control form of protection against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. This technology is designed to be used by healthy people, not to treat a disease and that is why it can be known as the ‘lifestyle pill.’ As Margaret stated in the research article, “a single pill, that is believed, would be able to make the lives of young and modern women better than well.” (Nucci, 2012) Conclusion Throughout the research, it is shown that the major technology that was developed/changed and modified over the years is birth control. The two significant forms of birth control included condoms and the very first oral hormonal contraceptive pill which has been modified immensely throughout the decades. This technology has affected not only the users of the contraceptives but the community altogether. The research helps the reader truly understand the importance of birth control, the revolutionary and ultimate technology in the sexualization of medication in North America. The condom and the Pill have advanced significantly for every user in the world and meet the social expectations and norms in our society today. There are many more advancements to be established within the sexualities of this specific technology. Recently, there has been an invention of male condoms which is being discussed and officialized by authorities soon. The new male condom will work similarly to the female contraception, producing hormones within the males and shining equality between both genders. The future is yet to come and there will be many more inventions and new successes to be established.