Contraceptives outrage not in line with reality

Frankly, I'm quite surprised with the recent coverage concerning Catholic institutions having to provide (because of federal mandate) insurance that covers contraceptives to their employees. Perhaps first in the argument is that the conscience clause is protected. No individual will be forced to buy or use contraception. Women will have access to contraceptives, but no one is forcing a woman to buy birth control pills.

It's also surprising that the Catholic Church is making such a fuss, especially when some surveys show that 98 percent of Catholic women will use contraceptives at some point in their lives. With half of Americans already living in states that have contraception coverage as part of their insurance, nothing is really changing.

And let's not forget that contraceptives are good for women's health. In the end, what we really care about is making sure that women are healthy and have the ability to determine their own course in life, devoid of cancer, serious infection and cysts, which contraception allows.

Jeffrey Whitebook

Cedar Rapids