Law Schools, Religion, Women's Issues

Which Law School Needs to Give Thanks for Birth Control?

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Word on the street is that people have been saying that I’m “anti-woman.” Apparently, I might as well get in touch with Al Bundy and join NO MA’AM. And while sitting around drinking booze and going to strip clubs would be fun, it’s just not my thing. I’m sorry to disappoint our readers, but I’m not anti-woman. I’m anti-stupidity.

Women in Biglaw: good. Women in Biglaw being nasty to others: bad. Breastfeeding in general: good. Breastfeeding in court: bad. The point is that I don’t have to be a knee-jerk feminist to be in favor of women’s rights.

And in the latest round of woman-related stupidity, it turns out that religion is still trumping women’s reproductive rights at a highly-ranked law school in the New York metropolitan area. So, which school is denying its women access to birth control?

The school in question is Fordham Law. Its parent institution, Fordham University — the same institution that put the kibosh on some good, old-fashioned Catholic charity — prohibits its health centers from prescribing birth control. You can’t raid the condom bowl at this school, because they don’t have any. If you’re on the Fordham insurance plan, please be advised that to get a contraception prescription, you “must visit a family planning clinic catering to the uninsured or see an outside doctor, which entails a separate $100 deductible under the Fordham plan.”

This, my friends, is stupid. And it looks like Fordham Law Women and Law Students for Reproductive Justice agree with me. They’re hosting an off-campus Birth Control Clinic and Sexual Health Fair on November 30. The event is happening off-campus so as not to offend the delicate sensibilities of those who want to keep these filthy, vile, and evil condoms and birth control pills away from students. Here’s some more information about the event (because, unsurprisingly, it hasn’t been added to the Fordham Law calendar):

Prescribe Fordham!
Birth Control Clinic and Sexual Health Fair

Wednesday, November 30th, 5:30 – 8:00 pm
33 West 60th Street, 5th Floor

– free condoms!
– free birth control prescriptions!
– reproductive rights jeopardy!
– information on policies!

The Fordham chapter of Law Students for Reproductive Justice and Fordham Law Women will host local health care providers from the Institute for Family Health to prescribe birth control to Fordham students and answer questions about sexual health. If you need a birth control prescription, all you need to do is have your medical history taken and your blood pressure checked by volunteer medical students and residents before you see the doctor. In a separate room, there will be snacks, free condoms, information and reproductive rights jeopardy! All are welcome – guys too! Regardless of your gender or orientation, please join us in solidarity to ensure Fordham students receive appropriate health care and stop by to show your support.

Contact fordhamlsrj@gmail.com with questions, comments or to share how you found out about or were affected by Fordham’s non-standard healthcare policies.

*No SBA funds will be used for this off-campus event.*

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Free condoms? Free birth control? Who wouldn’t want to go to Prescribe Fordham?

Yes, this is a Catholic school, but come on, it’s almost 2012. These holy rollers need to give up the ghost (or Holy Ghost, whatever), and provide these women with birth control. Honestly, I don’t care what your religion is. Whatever it is, you just need to get over it. At this point, it’s just absurd to deny women access to birth control. When we live in a world where religious leaders get sued for touching children, do you really want to give them access to more children to touch down the line? Because that might happen without birth control.

It’s fitting that Prescribe Fordham is happening right after Thanksgiving, because it seems like Fordham Law needs to learn how to give thanks for the marvels of modern day science — like birth control.

UPDATE (11/17/11): After being kicked out of their space, the address listed above is no longer good. We have been advised that the clinic is still on, and the event organizers will announce the new location as soon as they are able to find one.

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