Do you want your dad deciding your birth control?

[NotALoserLikeYou]

Totally. He really wants to know about it.

cosmopolitan.com/politics/news/a30967/father-daughter-birth-control-case/

State Rep. Paul Joseph Wieland is suing the Obama administration under the theory that the Affordable Health Care Act's preventative care mandate violates his religious beliefs by making insurance companies cover contraception, Irin Carmon at MSNBC.com reports. Wieland, who is joined in the suit by his wife, Teresa, believes contraception is wrong. His daughters — 13, 18, and 19 — are on his health coverage plan, and he would like to prevent them from being able to get contraception covered at all.

According to the Wielands' lawyer, making contraception more affordable under health insurance plans is "as though the federal government had passed an edict that said that parents must provide a stocked unlocked liquor cabinet in their house whenever they're away for their minor and adult daughters to use, and Mormons came in and objected to that. It is exactly the same situation."

Yeah, I can see how that is exactly the same.

Of course, the Wielands could simply terminate their health care coverage altogether and pay out of pocket for services, which would solve this issue. Instead, they want to pick and choose not which health care services they actually use, but which are even available to their daughters. As Gretchen Borchelt, senior legal counsel with the National Women's Law Center, told MSNBC.com, "Under [Wieland's] theory, an employer could be forced to create an individualized plan for each employee depending on their objections — one plan that doesn't cover contraception, one plan that doesn't cover vaccinations, one plan that doesn't cover maternity coverage. Where would it end?"

The Wielands are represented by the ultra-conservative Thomas More Law Center (motto: "Battle Ready to Defend America," illustrated with a sword and an eagle), an organization focused primarily on fighting contraception, abortion, LGBT rights, and Muslims. They're currently in front of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

[Three and Done]

And of course, he should be able to decide what health care his adult daughters have access to, 'cuz the Bible says so. :roll:

[SquirrelySquirrel]

Uh, my dad isn't a creep, so he would never want to be involved in my birth control decisions. Pretty sure he doesn't give my sex life a lot of thought. He and my mom kinda wish I'd have more than one kid, but they don't even plainly tell me that because they get that it's a personal decision that isn't their business.

These people are so beyond ridiculous I can't even find the appropriate words to snark.

[Trynn]

Sigh. I take birth control for cramps. There are a zillion reasons to take BC besides sex. That being said, my dad does not know I take it. He's getting rather conservative in his old age, partly, and partly because I don't discuss my meds with him because he keeps telling me I don't need meds.

[Three and Done]

There should be two people involved in a woman's decision to use contraceptives and what type she uses.

The woman, and her health care practitioner.

[dairyfreelife]

With squirrel here. My dad does not want think about his daughters having sex at all. He would put his fingers in his ears, lalalala, at the first mention of birth control because, well, that means his daughters are grown up and are old enough to make him a granddad, so nope, doesn't want to hear it. We are on the pill, but he does not know and did not know when we were on his insurance, though both of us started for health reasons and not to prevent pregnancy.

And, uh, no, what his adult daughters do and what doctors they see are none of his damn business. Dipshit.

[RosyDaisy]

I could see his concern (but don't agree with) about his minor children being on BCP. But his 18 and 19 year old are grown ass women, and don't need his permission.

[Toothfairy]

What a douche.

[cindyluvs24]

Someone remind this Wieland that when he was 19 he was probably out chasing skirt. Pretty sure those young ladies were someone's daughters, too. Now what if they hadn't had birth control?

[jerkit]

My dad is an executive at a major US insurance company. The thought of him using his title to fight for me to have LESS coverage is sort of a preposterous thought. He's done nothing but help me via his position. He knows exactly which questions to ask and how to respond.

This dad should be a proponent for his daughters. Because, ya know, he's a DAD.

[Jana814]

There should be two people involved in a woman's decision to use contraceptives and what type she uses.

The woman, and her health care practitioner.

Agree!!!

[browncoatslytherin]

i love when people who have no idea how insurance works try to protest their coverage.

dude, fact of the matter is, you ARE providing money for bc. when premiums are paid, they're put into a fund that the insurance company uses to pay out on. so, my money may be used to cover viagra or prostate exams. a male coworker's money may ultimately be used to cover bc or a pap smear. you can't earmark your money, it's used however the insurance company wants to.

the hobby lobby thing was useless, because ultimately, the money hobby lobby pays into the insurance company WILL be used to cover bc that they didn't want to cover...it just wouldn't have been used for their employees.

and on a side note, regarding the younger daughters and bc...horomonal bc is used for far more than pregnancy prevention. i took it to help prevent ovarian cysts. others take it to help with horomonal problems, regulating irregular periods, even heavy flow. one of my dear friends used to have such a heavy flow, she was anemic. bc solved the problem. as conservative as my parents were, they had no problem with me going on bc as a teenager, because i had a medical problem that was helped by it. they instead trusted that they had raised me in such a way that i wasn't out having sex with every other guy i saw (not that that's wrong, just from a conservative christian's standpoint, they didn't think taking bc would lead to anything they didn't approve of). *edit to add* and said friend's mother was (originally) mormon, but then slid into more christianity than anything else. she was still very conservative, though, and still kinda is. again, no problems with having her daughter be on bc, as she trusted her to act appropriately, according to her standards.

[SquirrelySquirrel]

and on a side note, regarding the younger daughters and bc...horomonal bc is used for far more than pregnancy prevention. i took it to help prevent ovarian cysts. others take it to help with horomonal problems, regulating irregular periods, even heavy flow.

I have a niece who isn't quite 14 who was put on the Pill because she was bleeding almost nonstop for the first year she had her period. It would be a cruel monster who would prevent her from the only working solution to this problem.

Not that anyone should have to make any kind of justification for taking BC of their choosing.

[nokidsmom]

When my sister was 18, she went to the gyno because of painful periods that just knocked her off her feet. Doc wanted to put her on BC but my conservative parents said no because it was BC. They were afraid that it would give her um, "ideas" then never mind that it would have probably taken care of her problem. She went on strong pain killers instead. This was pre-HIPPA.

[antwan]

If my children are under the age of 18 and on my health insurance plan, you bet I don't want them to be able to get birth control without my consent. I respect the choice of the next parent to liberally approach the matter, but in our home, we would not want to be unconcerned with whether or not our underage children are sexually active, and whether or not specific forms of birth control should be available to them without our cosent. We don't share the culture's more callous view of teen sexual activity (that's not to say we're looking to rule over legalistic courtships). Having needed BC for severe cramping, I am well aware of other reasons why it might need to be taken. But given the risks and potential side effects, there is NO way I would want my teen to be able to venture into BC without our input, knowledge, and consent.

[Emme]

This is the type of article that makes me send my dad a text saying "thanks for not suing the government so you could prevent me from getting birth control".

[Jessica]

If my children are under the age of 18 and on my health insurance plan, you bet I don't want them to be able to get birth control without my consent.

That. I want to know what medication my minor children are taking, whether it's birth control, antibiotics, a vaccine, or even just ibuprofen. I want to know what my child is putting in their body, period.

Once they're adults, that's their business, even if they are on my insurance.

[docmom]

That. I want to know what medication my minor children are taking, whether it's birth control, antibiotics, a vaccine, or even just ibuprofen. I want to know what my child is putting in their body, period.

Once they're adults, that's their business, even if they are on my insurance.

If I have to find out from my insurance company that my child is sexually active, I have failed to raise them as I would have liked. I want them to feel they can come to me with anything. However, I'd much rather that they have full access to anything that they need including birth control, vaccines and ibuprofen if they feel they can't talk to me. No matter what age they are.

[bluelady]

My dad likes to pretend my sister and I don't have reproductive systems at all (although considering I'm 31 weeks pregnant, I don't know how that's working out for him). My sister once asked me if I had a tampon in front of him and he went pale and left the room.

That being said, I can guarantee that, when we were 19, he would have much rathered us come to him and say "Hey, Dad, I need BC and I need your insurance to pay for it" than "Hey, Dad, I'm pregnant"

[browncoatslytherin]

If I have to find out from my insurance company that my child is sexually active, I have failed to raise them as I would have liked. I want them to feel they can come to me with anything. However, I'd much rather that they have full access to anything that they need including birth control, vaccines and ibuprofen if they feel they can't talk to me. No matter what age they are.

qft. maybe because my parents were so incredibly controling and i was so afraid of them, i don't want my children to feel bad about coming to me for anything. but, if they feel hesitant, i don't want their treatment options limited, or even for them to feel paranoid that i'll go through the insurance eob's or request medical records to make sure nothing "shady" is going on that i wouldn't approve of.

[Mama Mia]

qft. maybe because my parents were so incredibly controling and i was so afraid of them, i don't want my children to feel bad about coming to me for anything. but, if they feel hesitant, i don't want their treatment options limited, or even for them to feel paranoid that i'll go through the insurance eob's or request medical records to make sure nothing "shady" is going on that i wouldn't approve of.

Just have to say, I think you all are putting an awful lot of stock in your parenting practices meaning your kids will want to share this info with you. Our kids all knew they could talk to us about anything, including sex. A few of them shared when they became sexually active, a few didn't. Not because we were mean and controlling-- but because they are just more private people, in general. They weren't doing anything wrong, or sneaky, they just didn't want to discuss their sex lives with either of their parents.

Of course in my area there is a nearby Planned Parenthood where they can get birth control for free, and don't need parental permission over age 12. And one set of kids had a health clinic that gave away birth control at their high school. I guess if we lived somewhere with limited access they would of had to discuss it, or just gotten pregnant earlier.

[DGayle]

When I was a teenager under my parents' roof, I wanted the pill. My parents didn't pass judgement. They paid for it in a time when birth control wasn't covered at all. I know now they weren't happy I was going to be having sex, but they were happy I asked for contraception to keep me from getting pregnant. So my experience may skew my view.

My view is WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT CREEP SMOKING?! How DARE he think he has a right to decide what his ADULT daughters have access to?!

[DGayle]

If my children are under the age of 18 and on my health insurance plan, you bet I don't want them to be able to get birth control without my consent. I respect the choice of the next parent to liberally approach the matter, but in our home, we would not want to be unconcerned with whether or not our underage children are sexually active, and whether or not specific forms of birth control should be available to them without our cosent. We don't share the culture's more callous view of teen sexual activity (that's not to say we're looking to rule over legalistic courtships). Having needed BC for severe cramping, I am well aware of other reasons why it might need to be taken. But given the risks and potential side effects, there is NO way I would want my teen to be able to venture into BC without our input, knowledge, and consent.

If your teen wants to have sex, she'll have sex with or without BC. I think parents should have a right to know what meds their underage children are taking because of possible side effects and interactions with other drugs that may be administered in an emergency, but teens shouldn't need permission to get birth control. Know what's far riskier than potential side effect from BC? A teenage pregnancy.

[Haligh the Liar]

If you have raised your children in an open environment where you are respectful of their choices, chances are high that they will come to you regarding birth control anyway. For those who are NOT comfortable or willing to talk to their parents, this indicates that the parents are unwilling to respect their child's autonomy and choices.

Also, if your kids want to have sex, they will. If you are strongly against it, they'll do their damnedest and likely succeed in you not knowing about it. So, parents who feel they have the right to know the sexual practices of your children, you have two choices: 1) lobby hard to FORBID your kids from making their own life and healthcare choices and run the risk of your children getting pregnant or an STD; or 2) realize that even though you don't agree with your children's choices, it's far safer and better for all concerned for them to have private access to birth control.

[Trynn]

The risks of taking hormonal BC are so low.... They are almost non existent. Yes there is risk, but that risk is really low with BC.