Significance of the Birth Control Pill on women's rights in North America

The introduction of the pill in 1960 was a significant mile stone in women rights and for the feminist movement in North America. The pill was a medical breakthrough that had numerous effects on women and society as a whole. The introduction of female oral contraception resulted in a series of reactions that pushed the feminist movement forward. After the pill became FDA approved in 1960 the United States Congress made a series of actions to enforce the importance of female contraception. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was placed to allow all insured women to receive the pill free of charge. For women in the the late 20th century, the ACA was a huge leap for women's rights. This is where the US government finally began to support women's individualism by giving all women the right to controlled pregnancies. The pill was supported by not only the US government but organizations including The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization, backing the importance of orally ingested birth control. The impact controlled pregnancies had on female lives was tremendous and therefore a necessity for the advancement of women's rights.

Impact On Women's lives

The ability to have 100% control over pregnancies put an end to the uncontrolled baby boom of the 1950s. The lack of control on pregnancies in the 1950s was an epidemic. Women all over Canada and the United States were being forced to bear children instead of finish their high school and post-secondary degrees. The emergence of the pill was essential to allowing women to finish their degrees and then focus on their careers. This led to more women with high educations and therefore the introduction of women into high positions in organizations, businesses and politics. There are however some few negative impacts from the medication, Udry and Morris in 1967 found that in women using forms of the pill there was an increase in depression and a decrease in libido. The side effects resulted in the women becoming reliant on anti-depressant drugs. Regardless of the negative side effects the pill became a staple for the feminist movement.

Impact On The Feminist Movement

The issue second wave feminists had during the 50s was their tie with the Civil Rights Movement. Feminism had not yet picked up any speed to make a difference for women, so they worked together with the other Americans that were being discriminated against. Feminism made advancements with the Civil Rights Act but had yet to make grounds directly related to female issues. The feminist movement in the 1950s struggled to make gains towards female independence. The movement was designed to support women in their involvement in all aspects of life. The baby boom of the 50s stopped women from entering into the public sphere. Mothers were forced to stay at home and look after their children. After the pill, women were allowed to focus on their career and the idea of working women came into fruition. The choice to become a mother or a worker was exactly what the second wave of feminism in the latter half of the 20th Century was focused on. The pill created the groundwork for women to embark on the private sphere.

Social Effects

Birth control instantly changed the imbalance in North American society. Aspects of life that was previously driven by men was now shared by both genders. This era of new educated, autonomous women established themselves in everything that was known to be male dominant. Women entered the labor market, politics, business and innovation. Power was given to women that worked hard to earn it. The idea of the working mom became realistic. Men were no longer the sole breadwinners and it eventually became normal to have a female boss. The entire perception of women was turned into something much less discriminatory and much more equal to men.

Difference Between Canada and The U.S.A

Both countries were effected similarly in that the pill did the same for women in the States as it did in Canada. Jessica Haynes who focuses her studies on the impact of the pill on married Canadian women argues a large impact the pill had was on the family itself. She talked with women from the era who began using the pill when it was developed and Haynes concluded that the pill made the mothers happier and less stressed. The pill also created the sex boom. Sex had no longer resulted in child bearing, giving the freedom the have sex without the worry of pregnancies. This had a positive effect on marriages and families. The United States focused more on female autonomy and that is where the pill had it's greatest impact in the United States. In Canada, the pill improved families and marriages.

Concluding Remarks

The pill was introduced to North America in 1960 and had a chain reaction of effects on the lives of everybody. In the United States women were able to control pregnancies allowing them the pursue careers and benefit in their autonomy. This made a significant contribution to the feminist movement allowing them to separate from the civil rights movement. It changed how women were perceived and provided an era of working women. In Canada women using the pill were much less stressed. They relished in the enjoyment of family without the fear of unplanned pregnancies. Family life improved exponentially as the pill introduced the sex boom.

References

[1]https://www.theconversation.com/the-contraceptive-pill-was-a-revolution-for-women-and-men-37193

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4536622/

[3]https://soapboxie.com/social-issues/the-birth-control-pill

[4]https://kicsforum.wordpress.com/2017/05/27/the-social-and-economic-consequences-of-the-contraceptive-pill/

[5] "The Great Emancipator? The Impact of the Birth-Control Pill on Married Women in English Canada, 1960-1980" by Jessica Haynes