By Michael Hichborn
The recent Supreme Court Ruling on the Hobby Lobby case presents a unique look at what the hard left is attempting to force employers to pay for. Many of the talking points claim that, by siding with Hobby Lobby, the Supreme Court has “taken away” women’s access to “essential health care.” Ruth Bader Ginsburg even went so far in her dissent from the decision to suggest that the decision would “extend to employers with religiously grounded objections to blood transfusions (Jehovah’s Witnesses); antidepressants (Scientologists); medications derived from pigs, including anesthesia, intravenous fluids, and pills coated with gelatin (certain Muslims, Jews, and Hindus); and vaccinations.”
But, to borrow a favorite phrase from the current occupier of the White House, “let’s be clear” about what we’re REALLY talking about. Contraceptive drugs and devices are not healthcare; they are not essential. In fact, they are for no other use than recreation. Contraceptive drugs are recreational drugs and contraceptive devices are recreational devices.
All sexual activities conducted with the intention of excluding the creation of a new person are recreational. They are done purely for enjoyment and self-gratification—the very essence and nature of recreation. Contraception is only useful when sexual activities are being conducted. And since the sexual activities are recreational, so is the accompanying contraceptive drug and/or device.
Some claim that contraception is a part of “women’s reproductive health.” The problem with this claim is that health, as properly defined, is the state of “well-being” or “freedom from disease.” When one is healthy, all of the processes of the body are performing properly and according to their design. What hormonal contraception does, however, is cause a malfunction in a woman’s reproductive organs, forcing them to either not perform or to perform in a manner that is not ordinary to their design.
In point of fact, it can be properly said that contraception is “anti-health” because it disrupts the healthy function of the organs. When faced with this reality, feminists will often conflate contraception with Viagra. The truth is, however, that Viagra treats a condition to facilitate the proper function of male reproductive organs. It would be akin to providing certain fertility treatments to women.
Another talking point often presented by shrieking feminists is that hormonal contraception must be covered by all healthcare plans in order to treat problems like endometriosis. This is where it is very important to make a distinction between a drug being used recreationally and a drug being used to treat a condition. Steroids, for example, can be used for many different purposes. They can be used to treat serious burns and itchy rashes like eczema, or they can be used by body builders to bulk up when they work out. In the first two examples, the hormone treats certain conditions in order to provide relief and possible aid in the healing process, whereas in the last example, it is being used recreationally.
The same standard applies to hormonal contraception. Progesterone can be used in order to prevent miscarriages. It can also be used as a contraceptive. One use is for health, while the other is for recreation. So, when it comes to conditions like endometriosis, the use of certain hormones for treatment cannot properly be called “contraceptives” because the purpose for the particular use is as a treatment for an unhealthy condition in the body. But as with steroids, the hormone can be abused for recreational purposes.
And as for the screed written by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, we have already addressed her concerns. The decision in Hobby Lobby really and truly is all about the use of recreational drugs and devices for reasons that have nothing to do with health. Sex is not an essential activity; it is done recreationally when done specifically to exclude the creation of a new person. In fact, contraception prevents the proper function of the organs. Since the decision is all about recreational contraception, it has nothing to do with actual lifesaving procedures such as blood transfusions, anesthesia, intravenous fluids, and the like.
Now that we’ve cleared that up, we can be certain that the shrieking feminists and hard-left activists will respond with indignation that I dared call contraception a recreational drug. They will ignore everything I just said and simply try to scream their chants a little bit louder. Personally, I look forward to the silence when their vocal chords give out.
Michael Hichborn is director of American Life League’s Defend the Faith project.
*The accompanying picture is an actual advertisement for Obamacare, not a parody.
