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Wednesday, February 22

My Birth Control Boycott

This may be a bit too much information for you, my blogger friends, but I haven't had a period since last June. Spotting in July. But pretty much, June 2011. What was I doing in June 2011? I was probably enjoying the weather before it got too, too hot. I was working at a salon as a receptionist (barf), I was in my last few weeks of Spring Quarter and I started taking birth control. Loestrin 24 fe

Now, I know after almost a year of not having a period that I should have been responsible and went back to my gynecologist, but I 1) have barely any time, 2) don't mind not having a period and 3) am nervous about what I'd find out. For awhile, I just forgot about it. I don't necessarily miss the cramps, the bleeding for days, the super tampons and I hate that awkward moment when a tampon isn't saturated enough or the string's in a weird place and you sit down and you're all.. uhhh. Anyway.. I forgot about, well, my body forgetting to have a period and I just went on with my days. Taking my pills at night. In this time, I've worked 2 jobs at once, got rid of one, partied, learned a ton at school and went into a new year. 

My friends and I joke about me not having a period. They laugh. I laugh. I could be pregnant and not even know it, how funny, right? NO. Why was I ever laughing at that?  I know that I'm not pregnant. There's that. But, if I was indeed having sex where I could get pregnant, I could so easily be pregnant and not even know it! I never really thought much of it until a few months ago. I really thought of it the other day when I was watching the show, I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant. It's freaky! These women were pregnant and didn't know it. They all delivered incredibly healthy babies. They all were (miraculously) happy to have babies. But, if I put myself in the shoes of these women.. I wouldn't be happy to find out that I was about to give birth and have my life changed in, basically, a snap or some pushes. 

With laws that are trying to be made in our country right now, birth control and contraceptives could be changed drastically.  So, the pill is on a lot of peoples' minds. But, new abortion laws are also trying to go into effect. Like Virginia's proposed law that any woman wanting an abortion has to have an invasive trans-vaginal ultrasound. Is that fair? Last October or November (I can't remember which) I went to the doctor for my anxiety. They did a blood test and they could have easily tested it and found that I was pregnant. By this time, I'm already in my second trimester of pregnancy, and yeah, you could say I'd be stupid to not realize I was pregnant, but if my periods were irregular or nonexistent, how would I know? The link above also explains the first trimester of pregnancy and the symptoms: headache, sleepiness, peeing a lot, mood swings, weight gain or loss; well SHIT that's not uncommon for me, or for other women! So how would I know? 

I could have been pregnant and drinking. Smoking. Not taking my prenatal vitamins. I would be close to graduating college and I could be having an unwanted baby? Not okay.

What am I going to do about this? I'm going to stop taking my birth control. I want to be healthier, and for me, part of being a cisgendered woman is having a period. I'm not happy about this, and I know I'm going to regret it once I start my period, but I feel weird about not having a period every month! I also feel like doing this boycott will show my support for women's rights in terms of contraceptives and in abortion. I do not want to participate in something that could make it so that women have to be put in the situation of worrying about whether they're pregnant or not, and my taking birth control, which is directly causing me to not have periods, is participating in that. 

So, there it is. I'll keep ya'll updated on my journey. 

What's your experience with birth control? How are your periods? What do you think about the new war on women in our country?


xoxo
CORTnie

6 comments:

  1. Yay! I love talking about periods! As cis-women, we're made to feel ashamed and embarrassed about our periods and I say FUCK THAT! It's awesome! It lets you know you're healthy and my period totally empowers me.

    I took birth control for a few months 3 or 4 years ago and it made me incredibly nauseous. Everyone was like, "Blah, that's normal!" But, it's not. Having my period is normal. Pumping my veins with hormones is not risk-free like they want us to believe. I totally believe that birth control is awesome in that it allows us (women) to have "control" over our reproductive selves, but I'd rather just do it on my own.

    I'm a pretty regular period-er, (we're basically best frenemies,) but this month it was a week late and I freaked ouuuuut.

    Anyway, I love periods. I'm glad you've decided to re-embrace yours. Let it empower you!

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    1. I SAY WOOOO! Empowered womyn here! Thanks for the comment. Lets get coffee soon, please.

      <3

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  2. Cortnie,
    You're so lucky to have a long break from the cramps and annoying tampons. I personally have been on birth control since I was 13 years old. That's over 8 years for me! Although I've been on birth control, I've never taken the pill. I'm forgetful and would have 30 kids running around if I had to rely on my memory to take a pill every day. I started on the patch and now have been on the ring for 5 or so years. I can choose some months to skip my period but no longer than 3 months. Then I have my period. I like having control over my menstrual cycle and reproductive parts! Every women should definitely have this same choice to control. I was fortunate enough to have a kick ass RN mom who put me on it to regulate my periods and help horrible cramps and she also always stayed on top of me to stay on it once I started having sex. Every women should have the access to affordable birth control!! I'm surprised that you are using it as a "boycott" because I feel like there is a NEED for it for some women who don't have access to it. I definitely understand your desire to have a period every month, but it's possible on birth control, you just have to keep up with your doc!

    Peace Love & Periods,
    Kenzie

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    1. It's a sort of boycott for me personally, I completely agree that everyone should have access to birth control, for free(!), but I think I need to keep my body in mind. You know what I mean? I definitely needed to keep up with my doctor but I got scared and eh, didn't want some crazy procedure done or something. I'd rather just learn to be all natural. Does that make any sense?

      <3

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    2. Definitely makes sense!

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