Jezebel: The Pill

Catholic Colleges Refuse to Pay for Whore Pills

Erin Gloria Ryan — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 11:15:00 EST

Religious colleges are displeased with the Obama administration's decision to require birth control coverage for their employees and students under the Affordable Care Act. Actually "displeased" probably isn't a good word. "Hopping mad" is more accurate. A group of hopping mad bishops is filing suit against the administration to prevent the provision from going into effect, and some colleges compelled by state law to provide slut lozenges to their befouled female students are just ignoring the law entirely. More »

Soon, Your Employer Will Be Required to Fully Cover Your Birth Control

Erin Gloria Ryan — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:40:00 EST

Today, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced that the Obama administration will soon require every employer-sponsored insurance plan to fully cover the cost of birth control. Additionally, the tiny loophole that allows some religious-based employers to be exempt from the requirement won't be widened. Commence cocky, celebratory dancing... now. More »

FDA Wants You to Know that Birth Control is Very Dangerous

Erin Gloria Ryan — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:10:00 EST

The Obama administration has barred over-the-counter sales of Plan B for women under 17 because of as-yet unelaborated upon health concerns. A popular breast cancer drug doesn't work. Breast cancer screenings may be harmful. And now, the Food and Drug Administration wants birth control manufacturers to include new warnings on their packaging informing pill popping harlots that their consequence free sex now comes with a higher risk of blood clots. The FDA wants to make sure that every day in every way, you're aware that your ladyparts are going to kill you. More »

Some Women Use Birth Control For Non-Whorish Reasons

Erin Gloria Ryan — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:30:00 EST

Anti birth control types love to point out that women use birth control so that they can slut around without the risk of getting pregnant (God's most precious, precious punishment). But new research shows that this isn't the case at all; in fact, many women use the pill for reasons completely unrelated to harlotry. More »

Does The Pill Make Sex Terrible?

Erin Gloria Ryan — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 19:45:00 EDT

New research shows that The Pill reduces lubrication, arousal, and a woman's ability to orgasm, thus lending credence to my theory that a lot of hormonal birth control "controls" whether or not you give "birth" by making you never want to have sex. We just can't win with our ladyparts, can we? More »

The Pill Makes You Pick A Loving Mate Who's Bad In Bed

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 23:52:00 EDT

It's time to update that old song about getting an "ugly girl to marry you." Apparently the key to being happy for the rest of your life is to go on the pill, find a less attractive dude, and engage in some mediocre sex. Though, there's also a chance that you'll eventually grow tired of hooking up with your ugly mate, so you're pretty much screwed either way. More »

Duh: Women More Likely To Stay On The Pill When They Have A Longer Supply

Margaret Hartmann — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EDT

Once again, scientists have confirmed something that any woman who's ever taken birth control pills could tell you: It's easier to stay on them when you aren't running out every few months. More »

Birth Control Pills May Affect Your Memory

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:08:00 EDT

According to new research, contraceptives like the pill can change the way your memory works — and not just because you're always trying to remember to take the damn thing. More »

What Happened When I Went Off The Pill

Maureen Shaw — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 16:00:00 EDT

We all know the benefits of birth control pills: they're safe, effective, regulate your period (hello, cramps and flow!), help fight acne, and when taken properly, prevent pregnancy. Your hormones are under control, the sun is shining and birds are chirping your favorite song. More »

If You Only See One Birth Control Commercial Today, Let It Be This

Jessica Coen — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 18:22:00 EST

You may not know what you want in life, but you do know that you need time to figure it out. And you're certainly not going to have that time if you get all knocked up! More »

Scientists Debunk Belief That The Pill Causes Weight Gain

Margaret Hartmann — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:24:00 EST

Research on monkeys found birth control pills don't cause weight gain and may even help heavier women lose weight. As for why the myth persists, scientists say women may be blaming the pill for weight gain that occurs with age. More »

What If Birth Control Were Free? More Women Would Use It.

Irin Carmon — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:51:00 EDT

"The average woman spends 30 years of her life trying to avoid getting pregnant." Well, when you put it that way. From that campaign we told you about, pushing for full coverage of birth control under health-care reform. Petition here. More »

The Pill May Be Doing A Number On Your Brain

Jessica Coen — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:05:00 EDT

Another study for you: this one finds that birth control pills alter brain structure. Fun! More »

What If The Pill Were Over The Counter?

Irin Carmon — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:00:00 EDT

An op-ed in today's New York Times argues, "Women don't need a doctor to tell them if they need cold medicine or condoms, and they shouldn't need a doctor's permission to take the pill." Is that true? More »

Pill Is Still #1, But More Women Use Condoms For First Time

Margaret Hartmann — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:20:00 EDT

A new C.D.C. report found that now 72% of women use condoms when they lose their virginity, up from 34% in 1985. However, the pill is still the most popular form of contraception overall, followed closely by sterilization. [NYT, HuffPo] More »

Notable/Quotable

Anna Holmes — Tue, 11 May 2010 11:40:00 EDT

Raquel Welch on the Pill/the decline in marriage: "Seriously, folks, if an aging sex symbol like me starts waving the red flag of caution over how low moral standards have plummeted, you know it's gotta be pretty bad." [Daily Mail] More »

Good Friday

Anna Holmes — Fri, 07 May 2010 19:10:00 EDT

[New York, 1974. Image via AP]

No-Shit: Birth Control Hormones Can Kill Desire

Anna North — Tue, 04 May 2010 09:30:00 EDT

Though many women report that birth control pills lower their sex drive, they've had frustratingly little scientific support — but now a new study shows women on hormonal birth control actually are at higher risk for low libido. More »

5 Things We Didn't Know About Contraceptive History

Anna North — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:00:00 EDT

In honor of the Pill's 50th anniversary, Time's Nancy Gibbs takes a look back at its history and influence. Her piece includes a couple of facts we were surprised to learn — including the origin of the condom. More »

Condoms Rival Pill's Popularity

Margaret Hartmann — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:20:00 EDT

A British government survey found that among women under 50, the number of condom users has caught up to the number of women taking the pill. Half of those who use condoms prefer them because they offer STD protection. [BBC] More »

Protection Injections

Katy Kelleher — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:40:00 EDT

Male contraception! Please! Researchers in Scotland are looking for couples under the age of 45 to test a new contraceptive for men. The hormone injections last for two months and are fully reversible. [BBC] More »

Blah Blah Smart Women Better At Sex • Man Finds Parasitic Twin In Bellybutton

Katy Kelleher — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:20:00 EDT

• Here's the latest in no shit studies: women with higher "emotional intelligence" have better sex than those who cannot express their feelings. Also: nice picture Daily Mail! • More »

New Study Revives Hope For Male Pill

Margaret Hartmann — Mon, 04 May 2009 09:30:00 EDT

In the largest trial of male hormonal contraception to date, researchers report that injecting men with testosterone is not only safe, effective and reversible, but may renew interest in the "male Pill." More »

"Double Annoying" Sarah Vowell Loves "The Pill"

Jessica G. — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST

Pint-sized writer Sarah Vowell was on L.A's KCRW on Wednesday talking about her love for Loretta Lynn. Vowell grew up in a Pentecostal household, so she wasn't allowed to listen to Satan's minions, Kiss. More »

Lorena Bobbitt, 15 Years Later • The Pill Is "Ineffective" Because Women Are Dumb

Maria — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:30:00 EDT

Lorena Bobbitt, 15 Years Later: Engaged, working as a real estate agent, and helping abused women with their mental health. • Are the Japanese totally over luxury brands? We just hope they aren't over making endlessly adorable things! • An Army Wives poster in an NYC subway station has been given a little makeover. • Australians say that their "Aussie values" make them more prone to body image problems than others. • Down's syndrome dolls become a popular plaything for children with disabilities. • More than 100 Italian women breastfed their babies in a public square in Rome in protest of unfair public breastfeeding laws. • A savings plan for prostitutes in India allows them to save their money and be able to potentially say "no" to clients with the extra money set aside to support them. • Kids and strippers mixed together at a golf course due to some "mistiming" between two tournaments (the kids were golfing for one and the strippers were caddying for another). • Iran has banned the use and import of tanning beds because of health reasons. • More »

Sexually-Inexperienced Seal Tries To Bone Penguin • UK Reports 50% More Female Drunks

maria — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:20:00 EDT

A "frustrated, sexually inexperienced" young male seal tries to have sex with a penguin.• Older Japanese singles are trying out that whole online dating thing. • A 51-year-old man admits to using voodoo to seduce teen girls. • Two women make history, win second-"highest" medical prize. • PETA asks Hollywood insiders to whistleblow on animal cruelty on sets. • The houseboat from Sleepless in Seattle is on the market for $2.5 million! • British police report the number of female drunks being arrested has gone up 50% over the past five years. • Ancient androgynous pharaoh, Akhenaten, may have had genetic mutation that made him look feminine. • Colleges are allowing coed dorm rooms. • Men's activists complain about Bad Dads ambush reality TV show. More »

Baby, I Got the Pill

maria — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:40:00 EDT

Birth control options for women over 40 are expanding thanks to new low-estrogen birth control pills and increased research into methods that don't involve tube-tying. Birth control pills with high estrogen levels are not recommended for women over 35 since they pose cancer and blood clot threats, but low-estrogen pills may not pose as much of a health risk for healthy women over 40. This is good news to all those women that want a birth control option and are still open to the option of having children. This is also good news to pharmaceutical companies that are opening up to the possible profits, er—options! for the age group. [AP via Reformer] More »

"Do I Have To Give Myself An Enema Before Anal Sex?"

Tracie Egan Morrissey — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:20:00 EST

It's time for another installment of Pot Psychology, the advice column in which everyone's problems are solved with an "herbal" remedy. (As always: Don't do drugs!) In this episode, I get baked with my brother of another mother, Rich, and attempt to tackle issues like anal sex preparation, wedding etiquette, and better forms of birth control. (Note that I said "attempt.") Got a burning question? Send it to tips@jezebel.com with "Pot Psychology" in the subject line. (Please keep them short; they're verrrry hard to read when stoned.) More »

My IUD: How I Learned To Stop Pill-Popping & Love My Cramps

mcarpentier — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 13:30:00 EDT

Despite having an IUD, I was unaccountably thankful when my first post-break-up period arrived recently. I celebrated by getting relentlessly drunk. Before I went to bed, I went to change my tampon, and found no string. Since I'd put it in when drunk, I figured it was just up in there somewhere. Before too long, I was lying on my bathroom floor and rather forcefully reacquainting myself with my IUD (or, at least the couple millimeters of twine that stick out of my cervix to allow the doctor to remove it in a clinical setting). I realized relatively quickly for a drunk that I was about to yank my own IUD out searching for a non-existent tampon, thanked my lucky stars that my favorite little medical device/far-preferred method of birth control was still in place and that I didn't have to go back to the dreaded Pill, and went to bed. More »