I kind of hate my state now
The birth control ban passed the Assembly.
It now moves to the state Senate. Doyle has said he will veto it, which is reassuring, but I would prefer it not come to that - I don't want our Democratic governor to have to spend political capital on this; it will only make the situation worse.
Two things are unclear:
1) Whether this ban could be interpreted to deny standard birth control pills to UW students as well - my reading says "probably not," but I am wary nonetheless, because one never knows with this sort of thing
2) Whether the ban applies to private healthcare providers contracted by UW to provide care for graduate students - my reading says "yes," actually
This really is part of the culture war - the stated reason for this bill is to express disapproval at student promiscuity. Even if I agreed that it was the Legislature's place to approve or disapprove in this fashion (and I don't), I strongly disagree that this is a useful way of doing it. Many of the students that will be affected by this are not promiscuous drunks on spring break; many are students in long-term relationships or marriages. That the State of Wisconsin lumps me in with vacuous frat girls carrying twelve credits of Home Ec and five strangers' semen offends me more than I can say.
It now moves to the state Senate. Doyle has said he will veto it, which is reassuring, but I would prefer it not come to that - I don't want our Democratic governor to have to spend political capital on this; it will only make the situation worse.
Two things are unclear:
1) Whether this ban could be interpreted to deny standard birth control pills to UW students as well - my reading says "probably not," but I am wary nonetheless, because one never knows with this sort of thing
2) Whether the ban applies to private healthcare providers contracted by UW to provide care for graduate students - my reading says "yes," actually
This really is part of the culture war - the stated reason for this bill is to express disapproval at student promiscuity. Even if I agreed that it was the Legislature's place to approve or disapprove in this fashion (and I don't), I strongly disagree that this is a useful way of doing it. Many of the students that will be affected by this are not promiscuous drunks on spring break; many are students in long-term relationships or marriages. That the State of Wisconsin lumps me in with vacuous frat girls carrying twelve credits of Home Ec and five strangers' semen offends me more than I can say.