plan b
my colleague – who’s British and constantly offering biscuits, which I love (the offer & the biscuits)—has two stinkin’ cute kids. In a collegial way, I asked their ages, their names, and got a few stinkin’ cute stories. Then she asked me, in a collegial way, what about you? got any kids?
Biscuit in hand, I froze. The only other time in my life that question even came near me was when a friend of a lover asked him if I had any kids, after she learned I was 30, which felt bizarre in an entirely different way.
Lots of people have asked me if I want to have kids. My answer has varied radically. I mean – I like them. I think babies and young people are really spectacular to be around. I worked in this great office that was all feminist women academics for a few years, and my favorite was gorgeously pregnant then gave birth. When she brought in the new person to visit, I was immediately in line to snuggle up, and my boss was shocked that I looked so easy holding a baby. She delivered this entire amazed monologue.
With longer hair and a new audience, I suppose I appear more likely to have kids. To my BC, I smiled and said, no. But—the point is, really, what I did not say to her, which is, no, in fact, I am actively preventing pregnancy at this very moment!
Because I took emergency contraception in the communal bathroom this morning, and I really wanted to go off about how it cost $45. Then thank all the fabu advocates who worked to make EC available over the counter –kiss kiss to all those folks. Now we have to fend off politicians who would make it even harder to get. And I am glad it was in stock and that the pharmacist handed over the box (though she put it in the bag under the counter and would not look at me, with either kindness or embarrassment, maybe both). I just cannot believe two pills cost $45.
Here’s your good fact for the day – in New York , which recently joined Illinois and Washington, Medicaid covers EC.
I, however, do not have Medicaid; I am waiting on my health insurance to kick in.
In other news, you have until the end of May to write your entry for the Tofu Haiku contest.
victor said,
April 16, 2007 at 10:33 pm
it’s $23 in sweden. I’ve bought it twice over counter. $45 is just stupid.
stagger lee said,
April 27, 2007 at 10:37 pm
i have also taken EC, and keep an extra one in my freezer just in case. it was expensive indeed, and i too am incredibly thankful to those who’ve fought for you and me, especially because i haven’t been able to fight that particular fight. on the parenting front…there are many varieties of parenting = caregiving in the world. certainly the type most folks care about is the part that involves babies you’ve birthed, but i am very thankful for all the caregiving you do for me (i am still a kid, sometimes in unfortunate ways) and am not at all shocked that you look easy holding a baby because i have felt the very same care when you’ve pet my head when i’ve needed it. thank you.