Just Get on the Pill: The Uneven Burden of Reproductive Politics

Krystale Littlejohn's book "Just Get on the Pill" explores how birth control becomes a fundamentally unbalanced and gendered responsibility, encroaching on reproductive autonomy and posing obstacles for preventing disease. She shows how this gendered approach harms cisgender women, trans, intersex, and gender nonconforming people in overlooked ways.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 31 August 2021
Publisher: University of California Press

The average person concerned about becoming pregnant spends approximately thirty years trying to prevent conception. People largely do so alone using prescription birth control, a situation often taken for granted in the United States as natural and beneficial. In Just Get on the Pill, a keenly researched and incisive examination, Krystale Littlejohn investigates how birth control becomes a fundamentally unbalanced and gendered responsibility. She uncovers how parents, peers, partners, and providers draw on narratives of male and female birth control methods to socialize cisgender women into sex and ultimately into shouldering the burden for preventing pregnancy.

Littlejohn draws on extensive interviews to document this gendered compulsory birth control—a phenomenon in which people who give birth are held accountable for preventing and resolving pregnancies in gender-constrained ways. She shows how this gendered approach encroaches on reproductive autonomy and poses obstacles for preventing disease. While diverse cisgender women are the focus, Littlejohn shows that they are not the only ones harmed by this dynamic. Indeed, gendered approaches to birth control also negatively impact trans, intersex, and gender nonconforming people in overlooked ways. In tracing the divisive politics of pregnancy prevention, Littlejohn demonstrates that the gendered division of labor in birth control is not natural. It is unjust.

Birth control is a fundamental issue that affects people of all genders and backgrounds. It is a topic that has been debated for centuries, and its social history and urgent social implications are still being explored today. One of the most significant aspects of birth control is its gendered nature. Historically, birth control has been primarily focused on women, with men often being left out of the conversation. This has led to a situation where women are responsible for preventing pregnancies, while men are often seen as having little to no responsibility in this area.

This gendered approach to birth control has had a number of negative consequences for women. For example, it has led to a situation where women are often pressured to take birth control pills or other forms of hormonal contraception, even if they do not want to. This can have negative side effects, such as weight gain, mood swings, and even infertility. In addition, women who are unable to access birth control or who choose not to use it may face social stigma and discrimination.

Furthermore, the gendered approach to birth control has had negative implications for society as a whole. It has led to a situation where women are responsible for preventing pregnancies, even if they do not want to have children. This has put a significant burden on women, both financially and emotionally. It has also led to a situation where women are less likely to pursue careers or education, as they may be concerned about the impact that pregnancy would have on their lives.

In recent years, there has been a growing movement to challenge the gendered approach to birth control. This movement has been led by a number of organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). These organizations have recognized that birth control is a fundamental human right, and that it should be accessible to all individuals, regardless of gender.

To address the gendered nature of birth control, these organizations have advocated for a number of policies and initiatives. For example, they have advocated for the availability of low-cost birth control options, such as condoms and birth control pills, in developing countries. They have also advocated for the provision of sex education and reproductive health services, which can help individuals make informed decisions about their reproductive health.

In addition, these organizations have advocated for the recognition of the rights of transgender and intersex individuals. These individuals may face unique challenges when it comes to accessing birth control, and may require specific types of care and support. By recognizing the rights of these individuals, these organizations can help ensure that they have access to the birth control that they need.

In conclusion, the gendered nature of birth control is a significant issue that has had negative consequences for women and society as a whole. By challenging the gendered approach to birth control, we can work towards a more equitable and just society. This requires a commitment to promoting access to birth control, providing sex education and reproductive health services, and recognizing the rights of transgender and intersex individuals. Only by doing so can we ensure that everyone has the opportunity to make informed decisions about their reproductive health and live the lives that they want to live.

Weight: 208g
Dimension: 140 x 209 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520307452