I’ve watched in silence and amazement as an institution that hid the systematic molestation of children for decades has now gone to war with the administration over the requirement that their public institutions — hospitals and universities must provide contraception coverage for women employees.  Let’s be clear the church has had no problem paying for Viagra for their male employees, but allow a woman to have control over her own body?  Heaven forbid.  This is a purely political act.  28 states already have that requirement for employers, and not a word out of the Catholic prelates.  But now — it’s a crises.

There is a war on women being led by churches and the GOP.  All three of the leading candidates for the Republican presidential nomination have come out against abortion even in the case of rape, incest and life of the mother.  Rick Santorum wants contraception to be illegal because it “makes you do sex wrong.”  Romney and Gingrich have stated their support for “personhood” amendments which will ban not only all abortions, but most forms of birth control.  They have all stated the intend to defund Planned Parenthood, and all federal family planning.

This leaves poor women with no place to receive birth control.  Even women with insurance will be left having to pay out of pocket for their contraception a cost of $600 to $1200 dollars a year.  They will either go without, or use less effective methods which will result in more unplanned and unwanted pregnancies, more abortions (unless they’ve become illegal at which point it’s back to a coat hanger in a back alley) or unwanted children that will be a burden to their struggling families.  Yeah, that’s a great outcome.

I don’t think women are going to stand for this.  Look at the statistics for contraception use as compiled by the CDC.

I’m suffering under this toxic mix of religion and health care right now in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  We had one hospital in this city.  A few years back it was purchased by the Christus St. Vincent group.  They swore they would not impose their religious views on the hospital.  Well, they have.  A newer, smaller hospital opened, but it was too small to offer certain services, and now Christus is planning to buy them too.

Here’s what they’ve done.  My gastroenterologist was called into the administrator’s office and told to sign a document averring that he would not honor DNR’s (Do Not Resuscitate orders), he would undertake no medical procedure that would endanger a fetus even if the mother’s life was in danger, and he would not prescribe any medication which could be used as a morning after pill.  My doctor refused and was told he would no longer be allowed to use the hospital for certain procedures.  

The Right is always whining about how we can go somewhere else.  Well, the other nearest hospital to me is 60 miles away.  If I’ve been in an accident, if I’ve had a stroke or a heart attack I don’t have the luxury of an hour drive to a hospital that won’t impose their religious beliefs on me.

This whole firestorm over contraception is ridiculous.  An exemption exists for churches and their employees, but hospitals and universities aren’t churches even if they are run by religious institutions.  They are part of the public fabric.  People with differing beliefs attend and use those institutions.  There is nothing in this law that requires a Catholic woman to actually use contraception even if it’s paid for by her heath plan.

I’m so sick of men telling me what is best for my life and my body.