Supposedly this will be a ballot issue in South Carolina - either I will see it on the ballot tomorrow or in November. I know it's been placed on ballots elsewhere, most notably Texas. The problem is, I am stumped on where I stand on this issue, which frustrates me.
As a woman who believes passionately in open-access healthcare (i.e., if a woman wants access to birth control or to exercise her right to an abortion, no barrier should exist), I very much want girls to have the opportunity to receive this vaccine. I know the evangelical community has come down on this vaccine since it, in their words, "promotes promiscuity" (gag). I don't want girls and young women to suffer for their parents' decisions.
On the other hand, I don't believe in government interference in private affairs. If someone doesn't want a vaccine based on religious convictions, then the government shouldn't have a say. It's too Big Brother.
Where's the line? Do I vote to mandate a vaccine against cancer? It's for the greater good, plus we're already mandating other vaccines for kids. And yeah, it would give me a certain amount of pleasure to stick it to the evangelicals. Or do I resolutely stick with my no-government-in-the-bedroom mentality? Girls/women can receive the vaccine through their mid-20s, which means they are past the age of parental consent. But will they elect to receive it if they were raised to reject it?
I'm not asking for others to tell me how to vote, rather asking for a debate on the subject so that I can make my own mind up. Sometimes I really hate having to make black & white decisions when there are so many shades of gray.