Bristol Palin Freaks Out About Girls Getting Free Birth Cont

[doggie]

the expert on how not to use birth control or even what birth control is.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bri ... _hp_ref=tw

Bristol Palin thinks it's "crazy" for states to provide young women with birth control options free of charge.

In a Wednesday blog post, Palin cited a report touted by conservative news sites over the summer about a Washington state high school providing IUDs and hormone implants to students without parental notification or consent. This week, the conservative group Judicial Watch followed up on those reports by releasing a document showing the state's Health Care Authority provided hormone implants to girls ranging in age from 10 to 20 years old.

"Do you remember what it was like to be a 10 year old? I remember being an unabashed tomboy concerned with playing outside and acing 5th grade," Palin wrote. "But life isn't so innocent and carefree for some 10 years old in Washington State."

She continued, "It is crazy that the government is offering a controversial form of birth control that can have serious life-long side effects to 10-year-old CHILDREN, but then to do all of this behind a parent's back is simply outrageous!"

Washington, along with 25 other states and the District of Columbia, does not require minors to have parental consent to obtain birth control. Additionally, research has shown that IUDs are just as safe for teenagers to use as they are for adults, and studies haven't found any impact on long-term fertility.

[FundieWatcher]

She also posted that the White House is "immature" for banning a conservative Twitter account (White House denies anyone is banned). Meanwhile I'm banned from her Facebook page. All I did was suggest people treat her the way she treats everyone else. :shrug:

I actually don't hate too much. I mean she is an ignorant bigot. She is fighting an imaginary war with the president. But something about her I just can't hate.

[doggie]

I don't hate her she is just an idiot desperate for attention just like mom.

[Georgiana]

Oh Bristol, who cares if women are provided with free or low cost birth control? YOU are living proof that even if you have enough money to buy an entire room full of contraceptives, it wont help you prevent pregnancy if you don't use them.

It's only an option for the women who want it. No one is shoving it down their throats. Now please stop shoving your views down mine.

[FundieWatcher]

Sarah and Bristol have epic, paranoid social media meltdowns. It has gone from scary, to snark worthy, to sad.

[doggie]

Sarah and Bristol have epic, paranoid social media meltdowns. It has gone from scary, to snark worthy, to sad.

the duggers are going the same way. to fall from fame is a scary thing that causes desperation.

[defraudingjezebel]

Sarah and Bristol have epic, paranoid social media meltdowns. It has gone from scary, to snark worthy, to sad.

Yep. We're seeing cognitive dissonance in action with this one. She would have greatly benefitted from getting free birth control as a teen... yet she is appalled that its being made available? And appalled that teens are having sex? Apparently what's good for the goose isn't good for the gander after all. :roll:

[ViolaSebastian]

When is she going to figure out that she is in no way shape or form qualified to talk about this sort of stuff? The lack of self-awareness is astounding.

[IrishCarrie]

I'll never understand how someone can tell anyone else to not use contraception, while simultaneously being vehemently anti- a woman's right to choose. Isn't prevention always better than cure?

I'm missing something here....

Bewildered.com

:?

[HerNameIsBuffy]

I'm not defending the messenger because the overall point is stupid...but 10 year old girls getting bc implants?

10 year olds cannot legally consent to sex anywhere in the US, so if they are in danger of pregnancy they are being raped. Putting them on long term BC so they don't get pregnant from rape maybe preventing the symptom but not protecting them from the violence. Kind of on par with making sure kids who are beaten by their folks have a supply of ice packs and band-aids. The message that we'll address this but allow the cause to continue is very upsetting to me.

I'm all for providing no cost BC for sexually active people who can't otherwise afford it, but there is no consenting sexually active 10 year old...not legally and not morally. If a 10 year old wants/parent wants to put an implant in then there needs to be an investigation immediately for her own safety.

[sorchah]

It is possible for young children/young teens to be prescribed contraceptives for other health reasons. I know someone who was put on the pill long before she was sexually active because she had debilitating cramps and heavy flow, and that's difficult to deal with when you're in middle school. Hormonal implants have effects besides contraception.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

It is possible for young children/young teens to be prescribed contraceptives for other health reasons. I know someone who was put on the pill long before she was sexually active because she had debilitating cramps and heavy flow, and that's difficult to deal with when you're in middle school. Hormonal implants have effects besides contraception.

Yes and I don't think anyone would balk at a medical treatment for a kid that age even if it's also BC. But the point of offering it without parental consent is because some teens can't discuss the need for BC with their parents. 10 year olds aren't in charge of their overall medical treatment. And IME getting birth control they ask if there are other health issues and I doubt they would start a course of treatment on a 10 year old with such severe gyn problems without a much more intensive workup.

[Koala]

I'll be the odd one out-

Hormone implants for children as young as 10 years old?? You have got to be kidding me. I can't think of any rational on earth that would make it okay for a 10 year old to receive an implant without parental knowledge and consent. What does a 10 year old know about their health? Have we gone completely mad? :evil-eye:

[Koala]

And yes, Bristol Palin is a poor spokesperson for any organization at the moment, and I can't imagine who'd have her other than the What Not To Do campaign, so there's that disclaimer.

[browncoatslytherin]

i think the problem is is that there will never be an age range for offered bc that will be acceptable for everyone. 10 is young, but where should the line be drawn? i guarantee, list any age and someone will disagree with it, either saying it's still too young or it's too old. it's the same argument with sex education, too. it's something that i don't think anyone can "win" and come up with something that everyone can agree on.

i'm assuming that these girls are getting a medical consult of some sort before they get these devices. in that case, i trust the medical providers (who are mandated reporters) to report any suspicious findings related to possible abuse, and to also educate these girls on the devices and if they are really necessary or not in each case.

[Crocoduck]

Bristol Palin is the Kim Kardashian of the Right. Much like Kim, she needs to learn silence can be golden.

[Koala]

i think the problem is is that there will never be an age range for offered bc that will be acceptable for everyone. 10 is young, but where should the line be drawn? i guarantee, list any age and someone will disagree with it, either saying it's still too young or it's too old. it's the same argument with sex education, too. it's something that i don't think anyone can "win" and come up with something that everyone can agree on.

i'm assuming that these girls are getting a medical consult of some sort before they get these devices. in that case, i trust the medical providers (who are mandated reporters) to report any suspicious findings related to possible abuse, and to also educate these girls on the devices and if they are really necessary or not in each case.

I agree that it can be hard to tell where to draw the line, but I can't imagine a circumstance where a 10 year old would meet the bar.

Here's the thing- even with medical consult, I don't know any 10 year olds (and I have a 10 and 11 year old myself) who would be able to make make a completely informed, educated decision based on the information they were presented.

There's a reason parents are held responsible for attending to their children's medical care. To hold them responsible and expect them to be able to make wise decisions while simultaneously withholding possibly pertinent information doesn't sit right with me. Chemical birth control/implants are not without risk. I can't imagine finding out my child had been treated by a doctor without my consent and then had an adverse reaction. Particularly a 10 year old who isn't really capable of making such a decision in the first place. Does that make sense?

Don't get me wrong. I am very conflicted on this issue, because there are some real asshole parents out there who refuse to get their teens protection and birth control when they need it. It's a crime, and it makes me sick. I just don't think the solution is treating all parents as if they're assholes and allowing their children to have implants without their knowledge at the very least.

[browncoatslytherin]

I agree that it can be hard to tell where to draw the line, but I can't imagine a circumstance where a 10 year old would meet the bar.

Here's the thing- even with medical consult, I don't know any 10 year olds (and I have a 10 and 11 year old myself) who would be able to make make a completely informed, educated decision based on the information they were presented.

There's a reason parents are held responsible for attending to their children's medical care. To hold them responsible and expect them to be able to make wise decisions while simultaneously withholding possibly pertinent information doesn't sit right with me. Chemical birth control/implants are not without risk. I can't imagine finding out my child had been treated by a doctor without my consent and then had an adverse reaction. Particularly a 10 year old who isn't really capable of making such a decision in the first place. Does that make sense?

Don't get me wrong. I am very conflicted on this issue, because there are some real asshole parents out there who refuse to get their teens protection and birth control when they need it. It's a crime, and it makes me sick. I just don't think the solution is treating all parents as if they're assholes and allowing their children to have implants without their knowledge at the very least.

i get what you're saying. but medical professionals who deal with kids - especially those going through puberty - are usually quite familiar with such risks and should be able to adequately counsel a patient. in these types of situations where minors are seeking care without the knowledge of their guardians, it can be a little tricky to navigate, but not impossible to properly treat the patient. at the children's hospital i used to work at, certain doctors were dedicated to seeing minors without their guardians, usually obgyn type stuff. in this case, the doctors were able to keep up on and be able to focus on legalities and policies regarding treatment and still offer quality care.

and it's not just asshole parents, really. fact is, not all kids feel comfortable discussing things like this with their parents. it doesn't mean the parents are crap or anything like that, they just aren't always comfortable with it. should kids be able to feel like they can talk with their parents about anything? yes, in an ideal world they should...but we don't live in that ideal world. i was extremely grateful that my own pediatrician dismissed my mother from the room when she wanted to discuss certain things with me. it made me much more honest with what i reported to the doctor than if my mother had been in the room.

[browncoatslytherin]

I really do get what you're saying, and I appreciate your point of view. Like I said, I am just very conflicted on the issue.

understood, things like this do tend to be somewhat divisive.

if it makes you - or anyone else - feel better, doctors can obtain medical records from other doctors without the signed consent of the patient/their guardian. it's a part of treatment/payment/operations that hipaa allows release of records without signature (same thing goes for medical insurance companies requesting claim-specific records). so a doctor should be able to review records or at the very least get a verbal conversation with a primary doctor to see if there would be any contraindications for a certain device. in fact, i would be very surprised if there was no communication between the doctors talking with these kids and their primary care clinic. if there's one thing doctors usually love to have, it's more information.

[Lissa1481]

My 17 year old step daughter has been on the pill since age 11. She started her period at 9 and was absolutely miserable. The pill definitely made her periods more manageable. She was already quite developed at 9, looking more like 12 or 13.

Bristol should shut her mouth, and her legs.

[Handmaiden of Dog]

So how do you suggest that the health dept. address the issue? Should they screen the parents to see if they are assholes first before giving out the free birth control?

I believe that if a girl or a woman decides she needs birth control the she should have birth control. Teen and even pre-teen pregnancy is too big of a problem to deal with by pretending that every parent is reasonable and responsible. Yes, if a 10 year old is having sex then that should be investigated, however I rather she have it than not have it. Maybe she is being abused by a family member or maybe she is having sex with another 10 year old (it happens.) We don't know exactly what happens when a 10 year old asks for birth control, but somehow I doubt they hand over some pills without question.

And Bristol Palin is a complete fool. If she was my daughter I would be horrified but the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and no doubt her mother is applauding her words.

[rosethorne]

My $0.02 on this particular report, comes from anecdotal evidence.

I started menstruating when I was 9, at that time I was in 5th grade and most of my peers were at least a year older than me.

I can tell you, from a combination of gossip and eyewitness observation (sleepovers and overnight field trips) that at least 5 of those peers were sexually active, and not one of them was older than 11. I don't know how many of the girls had also already started menses, but if any of them had they were at risk for an unwanted pregnancy.

That's was just ONE classroom in ONE elementary school in my town.

So if a 10 year old has become sexually active (for what ever reason) and they seek out birth control, I see that as the most responsible choice out of a series of (potentially) terrible personal choices they've made.

I'm not advocating beginning sexual activity that young, good grief they're still babies. However I'm realistic enough to realize that whether or not I approve, it's likely to happen to some small percentage of kids, and I'd rather they have appropriate medical intervention to prevent unwanted pregnancies and STD's.

Another potentially related anecdote, my youngest sister turned 15 this year and is a sophomore in high school. When she was in 6th grade two girls in her school got or were pregnant during the school year, I would also like to note that both girls (according to my sister) were prevented from attending the Sex Ed class in 5th grade, because it required a signed parental permission slip, and their parents refused to sign.

My own parents tried to pull that not signing crap with myself, as well as both my younger sisters. It took 6weeks of arguing, and logical reasoning to get them to sign those damn slips, and in the end the only reason my mom signed for my sisters was that she was tired of listening to me tell her all the reasons that she was wrong for trying to withhold vital information from them.

[anjulibai]

I really doubt Bristol aced 5th grade.

[Ellimenopy]

So how do you suggest that the health dept. address the issue? Should they screen the parents to see if they are assholes first before giving out the free birth control?

I believe that if a girl or a woman decides she needs birth control the she should have birth control. Teen and even pre-teen pregnancy is too big of a problem to deal with by pretending that every parent is reasonable and responsible. Yes, if a 10 year old is having sex then that should be investigated, however I rather she have it than not have it. Maybe she is being abused by a family member or maybe she is having sex with another 10 year old (it happens.) We don't know exactly what happens when a 10 year old asks for birth control, but somehow I doubt they hand over some pills without question.

And Bristol Palin is a complete fool. If she was my daughter I would be horrified but the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and no doubt her mother is applauding her words.

Right. Whenever people get completely outraged over these things, I just shake my head. They're assuming that doctors, nurses, teachers ... whoever are completely stupid, unreasonable ideologues who can't see nuance. Really, it's just a tool to use to provide care in certain instances.

[Koala]

Right. Whenever people get completely outraged over these things, I just shake my head. They're assuming that doctors, nurses, teachers ... whoever are completely stupid, unreasonable ideologues who can't see nuance. Really, it's just a tool to use to provide care in certain instances.

I don't assume that doctors, teachers, and nurses are completely stupid, but I don't think they are infallible either. Some are awesome, some not so much. Either way, I am just not comfortable with a 10 year old receiving a hormonal implant without a parent's knowledge or consent.