America is a country based on freedoms. From its earliest days, American citizens were declared to have freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to assemble peacefully. Perhaps not all of these freedoms have been entirely upheld throughout United States history, but they are forever the basis of lawmakers’ and courts’ decisions, and they are, from birth, imprinted on every American psyche. As our country has grown and matured, so have our perceptions of basic freedoms. Before 1850, for example, no one dreamed of women or African Americans having the right to vote; in 2012, however, it is expected that from a legal perspective, all races and genders have equal political rights. Before the turn of the century, the idea of federally recognized labor unions was still considered taboo; today, it is assumed that workers have the basic right to assemble and collectively bargain for their rights as employees.

I speak of freedom and its deep root in American history because in my opinion, it’s time that the birth control/abortion debate becomes synonymous with sexual freedom. A hundred years ago, no respectable young woman would ever be alone in the same room with a single person of the opposite sex before marriage. Now, one would be hard-pressed to find someone who would think anything of finding themselves in such a situation. The fact of the matter is that our society has evolved into a sexually charged one. The majority of adults and teenagers alike engage in pre-marital sex, often with multiple partners. There’s no law against unsolicited sex – so why does sexuality need to be recognized as a right?

The answer is simple: without access to birth control and abortions, women and men are not on a level playing field sexually. Aside from sexually transmitted diseases, nearly all of which are treatable, if not curable, men face no repercussions from having sex. Women, however, not only face the prospect of STD’s but the possibility of becoming pregnant. Is it fair to ask for abstinence? Not in today’s society, and especially not when the same sexual expectations are not placed upon men.

The fact of the matter is, to enjoy full sexual freedom, women need and deserve access to birth control and abortions. The United States government, in proposing that the Catholic Church provide its employees with health care that covers birth control, was making a necessary step towards this sexual equality. The government is not, in this proposal, suggesting that pregnancy is a disease but rather that birth control is not only a basic health need for women (some women, including my grandmother, can face serious health repercussions, including death, upon becoming pregnant) but the key to the sexual equality that our country lacks. If the Catholic Church is so steadfastly against providing its employees with the basic health right of birth control, which is used by 98%* of American Catholic women anyway, then perhaps it should not be the federal tax-exempt institution that it is today.

Abortion, although a more sensitive issue, falls under the same category of sexual equality. In maintaining abortion’s legal status, no one would be forcing women to undergo the procedure, while pro-lifers would force their beliefs on all of society. It is undeniable that the procedure is traumatic and painful for the woman, which is why it should be obvious that abortion is not anyone’s first choice. But in certain circumstances – rape, financial insecurity, emotional instability – having a child (even if this child is to be given up to adoption) is not necessarily the best option, for mother or child. The fact of the matter is, in a truly sexually equal society, it would be evident that the choice of whether or not to have a child is up to the mother, not law makers or Church goers. The possibility of becoming pregnant after having intercourse always exists, even when birth control is used (although the chances are of course, radically diminished). The only sure way to avoid pregnancy is to avoid sex all together; but in a country that recognized sexual liberty, abstinence would not be necessary.

It is time that society recognize women as competent enough to make the decision that is best for them in whatever situation they may be. No one wants to have an abortion – and having birth control easily available (and covered by employer’s health care plans) would undoubtedly diminish abortion rates. Ultimately, women have the right to enjoy complete sexual freedom, and these are the steps society needs to take to guarantee that right.

*statistic given by NPR, the Washington Post, the New York Times. Though the exact number (drawn from a study performed by the Guttmacher institute in April 2011) has been subject to serious debate, even critics of the “98%” don’t deny that a clear majority of Catholic women do use birth control (low numbers still come in around 72%). While debate over the accuracy and consistency of the study continues, I have chosen to go with 98% as it appears to be an accurate number given the nature of the study, and until further evidence concludes otherwise, I feel that this number remains relevant.