What’s all the fuss about this thing called “The Pill”? The Pill is not only a medication prescribed by a medical professional; it was the subject of a PBS documentary of the same name. The website dedicated to the film has a great timeline describing the history of The Pill. I discovered many interesting facts. Let me share some with you.
Did you know that Sex, pregnancy, and contraception have been hot topics for millennia?
Genesis
One of the oldest references to birth control comes from the Bible. In the book of Genesis men are called upon to practice coitus interruptus, commonly known as the "withdrawal" method.
But it wasn’t until 1827 that people began to understand the science of human reproduction.
1827 In a major scientific breakthrough, scientists discover the existence of the female egg -- the ovum. Prior to this, it is only known that semen must enter the female body for conception to occur. This is the first step in understanding the science of human reproduction.
1843 Scientists learn that conception occurs in human reproduction when the sperm enters the female egg. Prior to this it was assumed that men created life and women just provided the home for it.
1875 Scientists conclude definitively that for human fertilization to occur there must be a union of the egg and the sperm.
Really? Men created life and women just provided the home for it? Really?
Of course other forms of contraceptives have been used.
The Rubber Revolution
The biggest breakthrough in contraception in the nineteenth century was not a new method, but a technological improvement of existing methods. In 1839, Charles Goodyear revolutionized the rubber industry when he made vulcanized rubber. He mass produced rubber condoms, intrauterine devices, douching syringes and diaphragms. Despite federal and state anti-birth control laws, "rubbers" were enormously popular and sales were brisk.
Most Effective Device
Although the diaphragm used with a spermicide was the most effective device available, it was never as popular as the condom. Women needed to see a doctor to get one, and that was expensive and embarrassing for many. Some were also uncomfortable with the physical intimacy necessary to insert the contraceptive.
So the search for a better contraceptive continued.
In 1960, when the U.S. government approved the birth control pill, contraception changed dramatically.
The majority of women -- and plenty of men -- welcomed the Pill. Some women felt invested with a new sense of ownership over their bodies and futures. Many improved their control over family planning. Others welcomed a new sexual openness.
The Pill's Success
Prior to the Pill, none of the available methods were as effective as women desired. Many were messy and awkward to use, and the most popular method, the condom, was male-controlled. The Pill was a huge technological advance because it was female-controlled, simple to use, highly effective, and most revolutionary of all, it separated reproduction and contraception from the sexual act. The Pill could be taken anytime, anywhere and without anyone else knowing. No method in previous centuries had ever achieved that level of privacy and female control.
That was only the beginning.
1964 One quarter of all couples in America using birth control choose the Pill.
The Pill becomes the most popular form of reversible birth control in America.
Despite general public approval for birth control, eight states still prohibit the sale of contraceptives, and laws in Massachusetts and Connecticut still prevent the dissemination of information about birth control.
1965 Just five years after the Pill's FDA approval, more than 6.5 million American woman are taking oral contraceptives, making the Pill the most popular form of birth control in the U.S.
1967 Over 12.5 million women worldwide are on the Pill.
Massachusetts liberalizes its birth control laws, but still prohibits the sale of birth control to unmarried women.
1972 March 23: The U.S. Supreme Court, ruling in Eisenstadt v. Baird that a state cannot stand in the way of distribution of birth control to a single person, strikes down Massachusetts law prohibiting the sale of contraceptives to unmarried women.
1974 Just 15 years after President Eisenhower declared that birth control is not the government's business; the government supports birth control clinics in 2,379 of the nation's 3,099 counties. Of all the methods dispensed, the Pill is most popular.
1982 The Pill's impact on women in the work force is significant. With highly effective birth control now at their disposal, 60% of women of reproductive age are employed in America.
The history of The Pill tells us a great deal about the history of women and their role in a male dominated society. I wonder what bothers the Republican politicians who believe that men, employers and the government should be the ones who should determine who, what, where, when and how birth control can be allocated? Is it that women create life and not men? Is it that women have control over their own bodies? Is it that women are competing with men in the workforce?
BTW, women wouldn’t need birth control if they weren’t having sex with men. Those men who want to control women's bodies should think about that the next time they want to have sex with their wives, girlfriends, mistresses,…