Olivia Rodrigo gives out free Plan B at concert in Missouri

[StrawberryBlond 14,102]

31 minutes ago, Railing said:

Here's the thing - Not everyone thinks of it that way. A newly-developing fetus is not a human being. It's a clump of cells that may or may not turn into something more. That false idea that you're taking someone's life away is exactly why the pro-life movement exists The stigma needs to end.

OT: I applaud Olivia for doing this.

You've misunderstood me - I do believe it is a clump of cells. However, depending on how you feel about the pregnancy, you may view it as more. Someone who regrets a pregnancy now but wants to have children one day with the right person might feel a tinge of sadness that this was technically their first pregnancy and wished it could have been something they welcomed. Not everyone is divided into people who want children and those who don't. There are plenty who don't want them right now but would one day so taking this pill might hit them hard especially if they never have children in the future and will always be wondering what could have been. You can be pro choice but still feel the enormity of taking plan b or abortion. It's a very nuanced thing. The sadness felt afterwards doesn't mean you feel a stigma, but rather, it's a hormonal reaction and even if it's the right choice, you still need support and understanding. 

5 minutes ago, Franch Toast said:

I just want to chime in and say that Plan B doesn't terminate a pregnancy. It only works if the person who takes it is not yet pregnant. It prevents the egg from being fertilized by disrupting ovulation and as such is technically a preventive measure. Its main ingredient is found in many birth control pills, but in a higher dosage. 

I have a few friends who've taken Plan B, and the main side effect was nausea and a heavier period the next cycle. 

I understand that. It's just depending on the person's views towards conception as well as their religious views will affect how they interpret that. If you want to be pregnant, you will definitely believe life starts at conception. If you don't want to be pregnant, you will view this as a clump of cells. Both beliefs are valid as it all comes down to circumstance and personal viewpoint. Your post was exactly the kind of accurate information this thread needed, so thank you for that.

[RodeckDanny 2,219]

queen

[Franch Toast 25,913]

1 hour ago, StrawberryBlond said:

 

I understand that. It's just depending on the person's views towards conception as well as their religious views will affect how they interpret that. If you want to be pregnant, you will definitely believe life starts at conception. If you don't want to be pregnant, you will view this as a clump of cells. Both beliefs are valid as it all comes down to circumstance and personal viewpoint. Your post was exactly the kind of accurate information this thread needed, so thank you for that.

But there are no clumps of cells yet. Conception hasn't occurred because nothing is fertilized. Plan B is a contraceptive. 

[ChicaSkas 22,287]

6 hours ago, StrawberryBlond said:

While the sentiment is commendable, this is a very serious medication that shouldn't be handed out willy-nilly. Passing it out like sweets makes it seem like it's not a big deal. Plan B is called emergency contraception for a reason. It should only be taken extremely occasionally because it's extreme medication. Passing it out for free nullifies the sombre reason for taking it. For that 'funding abortion' tag with Olivia's aesthetic graphic style to be slapped on the front just seems crass. I support taking the morning after pill and abortion but it shouldn't be framed as something you should engage in with little thought beforehand or some sort of joke. It's stuff like this that makes pro-choice people look irresponsible and unfeeling. Passing out free condoms (which prevent pregnancy) is one thing, passing out free emergency contraception (that halts the consequence of unprotected sex) is quite another. 

It doesn't mean you should view it as nothing, though. Some women stockpile these pills and deliberately have unprotected sex and then pop them afterwards, which could be affecting future fertility for all we know (there are no studies on the long term effects of repeated taking of the pills). A lot of pharmacists ask questions before giving it to you so they know you're being responsible and realise this isn't everyday contraception. If it's given over the counter, it shouldn't be given out at concerts for free but at specialised outlets who know what they're doing and can potentially answer questions. It's all very well to donate to organisations that give safe and free access to contraception and abortion but giving it out for free to everyone is a bit much. It's hardly something that every girl needs, like period products. Olivia has a lot of young fans who shouldn't even be having sex, it's inappropriate to give out such a thing to everyone as most won't need it. Could you imagine receiving this as someone who's struggling to conceive or someone who's infertile and sad about it?

Thankfully we are at least a decade past these being unsafe in anyway, as my gyno just told me literally today, birth control is the most studied medication on the planet. This is an incredible gift to give a woman, she's giving 2 doses here. In my city the cheapest dose is about $55.00 USD. On the one time I needed this, I had to pay $$ for my peace of mind, which I could just barely afford in cash (imagine having to explain this purchase on a credit card to a person you share a joint credit card with) This is like giving each girl $100+ dollars worth of peace of mind. All the information needed is inside the paper documentation in the box, including precautions and interactions, all they need to do is read it (which I did about 5 times, thank you anxiety!) 

And sadly, girls are having experiences and brushes with this at puberty these days, whether they are taught or not, it's not a bad thing for them to have this weapon in their arsenal. I mean all I can think is how greatful I'd be if she passed them out at my show. 

[ChicaSkas 22,287]

25 minutes ago, Franch Toast said:

But there are no clumps of cells yet. Conception hasn't occurred because nothing is fertilized. Plan B is a contraceptive. 

exactly. by that logic every time some dude whacks off a load babies are dying. These conservatives have no logic based thought, it's all emotions with them and fantasies about babies' lives. They can't even provide for the babies once they are born. (none of that was directed at you Strawberry, it's the conservative concepts in general)

[ChicaSkas 22,287]

9 hours ago, Gohan said:

She saw that Lily Allen thread and said AIN'T NO ****ING WAY SUM KIDDOS GONNA RUIN MY CARREAH 

DYING

[SharkmanthaC 111,595]

7 hours ago, StrawberryBlond said:

While the sentiment is commendable, this is a very serious medication that shouldn't be handed out willy-nilly. Passing it out like sweets makes it seem like it's not a big deal. Plan B is called emergency contraception for a reason. It should only be taken extremely occasionally because it's extreme medication. Passing it out for free nullifies the sombre reason for taking it. For that 'funding abortion' tag with Olivia's aesthetic graphic style to be slapped on the front just seems crass. I support taking the morning after pill and abortion but it shouldn't be framed as something you should engage in with little thought beforehand or some sort of joke. It's stuff like this that makes pro-choice people look irresponsible and unfeeling. Passing out free condoms (which prevent pregnancy) is one thing, passing out free emergency contraception (that halts the consequence of unprotected sex) is quite another. 

It doesn't mean you should view it as nothing, though. Some women stockpile these pills and deliberately have unprotected sex and then pop them afterwards, which could be affecting future fertility for all we know (there are no studies on the long term effects of repeated taking of the pills). A lot of pharmacists ask questions before giving it to you so they know you're being responsible and realise this isn't everyday contraception. If it's given over the counter, it shouldn't be given out at concerts for free but at specialised outlets who know what they're doing and can potentially answer questions. It's all very well to donate to organisations that give safe and free access to contraception and abortion but giving it out for free to everyone is a bit much. It's hardly something that every girl needs, like period products. Olivia has a lot of young fans who shouldn't even be having sex, it's inappropriate to give out such a thing to everyone as most won't need it. Could you imagine receiving this as someone who's struggling to conceive or someone who's infertile and sad about it?

 

4 hours ago, StrawberryBlond said:

Well, it's good it wasn't given out to everyone. By "not a big deal" I mean you should realise the magnitude of taking this pill. Even if you don't want a baby, it's a serious step and should be a situation that you shouldn't have to be in more than a few times in your life. It would of course be easier to have it on hand but it still doesn't feel right to hand it out at a concert. Drugstores are everywhere and all towns have pharmacies so finding one isn't a problem. I do agree it should be cheaper, though.

Of course contraception can fail and so on, I'm just making a direct comparison between a preventative form of contraception vs an emergency one after potential conception. For example, it's common for universities to pass out free condoms at the start of the new year but handing out free plan b doesn't happen. It's a bit too serious to hand out so freely. And if someone isn't using contraception because they can't afford it but is having sex anyway, that speaks to how outrageously expensive contraception is and how we need to bring that down in price, which I'm surprised is never a topic of conversation. Saying that, plan b is more expensive than a condom too, you can get a whole packet for less than one plan b tablet.

While it's not true that there's a trend for vast quantities of women to be stockpiling these pills to use every time, I have legit heard of some women who use it instead of regular protection. I remember reading a confessional article from a woman who said that she never uses condoms because she only sees her boyfriend for one weekend once a month and when they get together, they don't want to fuss over intimacy reducing protection so they just do it unprotected then she pops a pill after every time they do it. She even said she went to all different pharmacies so they wouldn't recognise her and question why she's always buying it. She was an unusual case but an example of how the medication isn't really supposed to be used. 

Can't speak for America, but in the UK, you have to go to pharmacist and ask for it as it's a behind the counter purchase. They'll usually ask the reasons behind you using it, when the last time was you had sex and stress that it's emergency contraception not intended for everyday use. You can't just pick it up from a shelf, there's a longer process involved. Similar procedure at sexual health clinics. I believe this is done to ensure that the gravity of this contraception is clear.

Olivia has every right to be supportive of reproductive rights. I am too. She can donate and encourage her fans to donate to programmes designed to provide access to free/affordable sexual health services. But giving out free plan b at a concert just seems a bit too extreme. It's medication. That should be given to you by a medical professional. We don't hand out other types of medication at concerts for that reason.

I'm not conservative. I'm a pro choice liberal. I just believe that contraception should be used responsibly and taken seriously. I've had to research the morning after pill pre-emptively in case anything goes wrong with a upcoming hook-up. And I don't want to take it afterwards unless I absolutely have to. Because even though I don't want to be pregnant, it's a big deal to think that I'm ending a potential life that's been created inside me and therefore, taking it would be a sombre occasion that I would take very seriously and hope that I never have to do again. It's just my take that passing it out free at concerts suggests it's no big deal.

Of course it's their right. I just want them to do it with safely with plenty of forethought and review their contraception choices in future. Actually, the downsides of the morning after pill is not covered in health class. None that I ever had anyway. Maybe it's a bit different know but it was more focused on prevention.

It's exactly the job of a pharmacist to educate you on the medication they've just given you and answer questions about it. Maybe it's different worldwide but where I come from, the only way you can get it is asking a pharmacist. 

I'm not saying all women use it like this, clearly they don't. But if you read my first reply, I do remember reading about a woman who did. It's actually articles like this that can give fuel to conservative thinking because they see it as promotion of the pill. It's great to reduce the stigma of taking it but not to the point where it's normalised to use it as frequently as condoms either. I don't believe there's proof of negative side effects but there definitely needs to be a long term study into it especially if more women are using it frequently. 

It's good they only handed it out to those who wanted it. The idea of it being handed out to minors as a matter of course was what freaked me out.

Yes, young people have sex but they should be educated about what to do to prevent pregnancy and STDs before they do it if that's the case. In no way should I think minors or anyone for that matter should be forced to carry a baby they don't want because they can't afford the pill or abortion or are legally banned from these things. But I also want to ensure they're educated on what to do to prevent that happening in the first place so they don't need to go through that. Too many people are routinely not using condoms or that being on the pill is enough and not all of them even think about taking plan b afterwards because they didn't think it would happen to them and aren't aware they're pregnant until it's too late. I just want everyone to have sex responsibly and maturely and that includes understanding the seriousness of contraception especially the kind you take after the fact. I say this because I had to research plan b just in case I might have to take it myself sometime real soon and while I'll do it if I have to, I consider it a big deal if I do have a life growing inside of me and how that might affect me afterwards. I would rather live in a world where all this stuff was free and accessible than not but it still concerns me to see contraception not be taken seriously in 2024.

Thanks for saying you still like me, though, appreciate it. 

I have no idea who this is and can ensure you I don't have a second account nor am I conservative.

Whew so many points I want to hit on but a lot of people have already said some of the same things I would say. 

As someone who has been through infertility for five years, I actually would be happy to see these given out. (And same with the people that I know in the community.) Majority of people in the infertility community are for pro-choice, access to healthcare etc. Infertility made me see just how much access to abortion is needed (because contrary to what the conservatives would make you think, a lot of abortions are done on very wanted pregnancies). I think all people should have access to sexual health, regardless of if it’s Plan B or IVF. So no, this would not be offensive to someone struggling to get pregnant. 

Another point, Plan B is not the abortion pill. It does not get rid of an embryo. It prevents/delays ovulation, making it impossible for a sperm to find an egg. (Which is also exactly what birth control does.) Also, conception does not happen immediately after you have sex. It takes a few days for the sperm and egg to meet and a few more days for it to implant (which is why in IVF the embryo is usually 5 days old and then you don’t get a positive test for several days because it has to implant.) There is no risk to taking a medication like this. A pharmacist better not ask someone why they need this medication. It’s no one’s business except maybe your doctor. And if it were risky, with all the gynecologists and reproductive endocrinologists I’ve seen, somewhere I would have had to put that I’ve taken it. It is never asked. Good for her for providing access to something a woman may be ashamed or embarrassed to get at the pharmacy because some pharmacists in America can refuse to give it to you if it’s against their religious beliefs. Abortion, contraception, IVF, etc are all under fire in the US and being outlawed in places. I’d love to see more of this honestly. Give access while you can. 

[StrawberryBlond 14,102]

50 minutes ago, Franch Toast said:

But there are no clumps of cells yet. Conception hasn't occurred because nothing is fertilized. Plan B is a contraceptive. 

I know, I just didn't know what else to call it at this stage. For those who want to get pregnant, it is significant, it's just a change of perception depending on whether pregnancy is wanted or not. It's a high dose of contraceptive, like a turbo charged version of the daily pill. And obviously, taking it early is crucial, before it gets to the stage where it becomes pregnancy. Naturally, a lot of women can have got pregnant, miscarried and not know in the very early stages so unless she's actively trying to get pregnant, she won't feel the need to take a test so will never know. As I said, conception and pregnancy is a matter of perception and opinion based on belief and circumstance. We just should respect everyone's individual view.  

29 minutes ago, ChicaSkas said:

Thankfully we are at least a decade past these being unsafe in anyway, as my gyno just told me literally today, birth control is the most studied medication on the planet. This is an incredible gift to give a woman, she's giving 2 doses here. In my city the cheapest dose is about $55.00 USD. On the one time I needed this, I had to pay $$ for my peace of mind, which I could just barely afford in cash (imagine having to explain this purchase on a credit card to a person you share a joint credit card with) This is like giving each girl $100+ dollars worth of peace of mind. All the information needed is inside the paper documentation in the box, including precautions and interactions, all they need to do is read it (which I did about 5 times, thank you anxiety!) 

And sadly, girls are having experiences and brushes with this at puberty these days, whether they are taught or not, it's not a bad thing for them to have this weapon in their arsenal. I mean all I can think is how greatful I'd be if she passed them out at my show. 

It is useful for those who really needed it at this moment. And I just found out she gave out free condoms too, which at least encourages precautions but if that doesn't work, here's a safety net. Only thing is, it does expire after 4 years. It's useful to have around but some might not need it for years at which point it'll be ineffective. But it's ideal as well for people who may not need it but know someone who does. It would be good if these many supplies were sent to those who would definitely use it as opposed to them lying unused. At the end of the day, as a Brit, who is used to most of our healthcare being free, the idea of a popstar giving out free medication at a concert is wild to us. Such a thing would be illegal solicitation of drugs. Clearly, she won't be able to do this when she tours Europe. But our abortion rights aren't as under siege like they are in America right now, I guess.

5 minutes ago, SharkmanthaC said:

 

Whew so many points I want to hit on but a lot of people have already said some of the same things I would say. 

As someone who has been through infertility for five years, I actually would be happy to see these given out. (And same with the people that I know in the community.) Majority of people in the infertility community are for pro-choice, access to healthcare etc. Infertility made me see just how much access to abortion is needed (because contrary to what the conservatives would make you think, a lot of abortions are done on very wanted pregnancies). I think all people should have access to sexual health, regardless of if it’s Plan B or IVF. So no, this would not be offensive to someone struggling to get pregnant. 

Another point, Plan B is not the abortion pill. It does not get rid of an embryo. It prevents/delays ovulation, making it impossible for a sperm to find an egg. (Which is also exactly what birth control does.) There is no risk to taking a medication like this. A pharmacist better not ask someone why they need this medication. It’s no one’s business except maybe your doctor. And if it were risky, with all the gynecologists and reproductive endocrinologists I’ve seen, somewhere I would have had to put that I’ve taken it. It is never asked. Good for her for providing access to something a woman may be ashamed or embarrassed to get at the pharmacy because some pharmacists in America can refuse to give it to you if it’s against their religious beliefs. Abortion, contraception, IVF, etc are all under fire in the US and being outlawed in places. I’d love to see more of this honestly. Give access while you can. 

Of course you can support reproductive rights regardless of your personal fertility situation, I just felt there it would be a bit of an unsettling concept to see morning after pills given out so casually if you were having fertility issues. But that's just my personal sensitivity.

I think a pharmacist might ask because there's a chance that the woman is uninformed about her options. Maybe she doesn't think there's any other way and doesn't realise that there are outreach programmes that help you if you want to keep a baby but can't afford them. And some women may be getting forced by someone to take the pill and the pharmacist can maybe detect a bit of uncertainty. Not everyone will read instructions before taking a pill either. Questions are asked to make sure the woman makes the right choice for her. But totally, this can be abused by pharmacists bringing their personal bias to the fore. As I said previously, I suppose it's hard to imagine living in a country where reproductive rights are under siege right now. I like the idea of easy access to these services. It's just the execution of this particular idea rubbed me the wrong way. 

[Oriane 19,786]

As much as I support taking the morning pill, I'm confused as to why they would hand these out and not just condoms? Or at least both of them? This is just assuming that everybody there already has a plan A 

[Franch Toast 25,913]

8 hours ago, StrawberryBlond said:

I know, I just didn't know what else to call it at this stage. For those who want to get pregnant, it is significant, it's just a change of perception depending on whether pregnancy is wanted or not. It's a high dose of contraceptive, like a turbo charged version of the daily pill. And obviously, taking it early is crucial, before it gets to the stage where it becomes pregnancy. Naturally, a lot of women can have got pregnant, miscarried and not know in the very early stages so unless she's actively trying to get pregnant, she won't feel the need to take a test so will never know. As I said, conception and pregnancy is a matter of perception and opinion based on belief and circumstance. We just should respect everyone's individual view.  

 

Pregnancy and conception aren't about perception though. The debate is about when life begins, not when one has conceived or is pregnant. You can't have conception without a fertilized egg. The whole point of Plan B is to prevent conception. There is no pregnancy, there is no conception.

If the person happens to already be pregnant, Plan B won't work. 

[StrawberryBlond 14,102]

11 hours ago, Oriane said:

As much as I support taking the morning pill, I'm confused as to why they would hand these out and not just condoms? Or at least both of them? This is just assuming that everybody there already has a plan A 

Turns out she was handing out condoms too. The plan b is just an option if it fails.

7 hours ago, Franch Toast said:

Pregnancy and conception aren't about perception though. The debate is about when life begins, not when one has conceived or is pregnant. You can't have conception without a fertilized egg. The whole point of Plan B is to prevent conception. There is no pregnancy, there is no conception.

If the person happens to already be pregnant, Plan B won't work. 

Are you referring to implantation though? There doesn't seem to be a phrase for the specific stage you're talking about so I don't know what to call it and that's what Wikipedia seemed to suggest. I thought plan b was what you take after sex when you think you might be pregnant (I'm just using this word to say that sperm may have fertilised an egg) so taking the pill ends things before they develop further. I've never seen a breakdown of what stage you're at in the first 72 hours but I thought it was called plan b because now that protection failed or you didn't use it, you now need a second course of action or a plan b, which is where the name comes from. Maybe it's because Plan B is an American brand and we don't have that here, we just call it the morning after pill because you take it the next day. Are you meaning it's not officially a pregnancy until a few days have passed? I think we just use the word "pregnancy" to mean there's a chance the process has started but we aren't using medical terminology as we're just ordinary people. 

[Oriane 19,786]

33 minutes ago, StrawberryBlond said:

Turns out she was handing out condoms too. The plan b is just an option if it fails.

Are you referring to implantation though? There doesn't seem to be a phrase for the specific stage you're talking about so I don't know what to call it and that's what Wikipedia seemed to suggest. I thought plan b was what you take after sex when you think and you might be pregnant (I'm just using this word to say that sperm may have fertilised an egg) so taking the pill ends things before they develop further. I've never seen a breakdown of what stage you're at in the first 72 hours but I thought it was called plan b because now that protection failed or you didn't use it, you now need a second course of action or a plan b, which is where the name comes from. Maybe it's because Plan B is an American brand and we don't have that here, we just call it the morning after pill because you take it the next day. Are you meaning it's not officially a pregnancy until a few days have passed? I think we just use the word "pregnancy" to mean there's a chance the process has started but we aren't using medical terminology as we're just ordinary people. 

In this case I think it's good, it's nice to have a second option for emergencies, but yes, condoms should be the first solution.

To address the rest, the morning pill will prevent the egg from being released if your ovulation phase is coming up. If there's no egg, the sperm will "wait" a few days and will disappear if it hasn't found an egg. If the egg hasn't been released yet, it will be stopped by the morning pill. If you're ovulating right when the sperm is released, the morning pill won't do anything you might get pregnant. The morning pill doesn't stop a pregnancy that has already started, it just prevents the upcoming egg from being released if it's within a few days.

Edited March 14 by Oriane

[stateofgaga 49]

So edgy

[Franch Toast 25,913]

20 hours ago, StrawberryBlond said:

 

Are you referring to implantation though? There doesn't seem to be a phrase for the specific stage you're talking about so I don't know what to call it and that's what Wikipedia seemed to suggest. I thought plan b was what you take after sex when you think you might be pregnant (I'm just using this word to say that sperm may have fertilised an egg) so taking the pill ends things before they develop further. I've never seen a breakdown of what stage you're at in the first 72 hours but I thought it was called plan b because now that protection failed or you didn't use it, you now need a second course of action or a plan b, which is where the name comes from. Maybe it's because Plan B is an American brand and we don't have that here, we just call it the morning after pill because you take it the next day. Are you meaning it's not officially a pregnancy until a few days have passed? I think we just use the word "pregnancy" to mean there's a chance the process has started but we aren't using medical terminology as we're just ordinary people. 

I am not, because there is no implantation. Plan B disrupts ovulation to prevent the egg from being released, as @Oriane has said. As such, there is no egg to fertilize, and there is no embryo to implant. It truly is just another type of contraceptive. If the egg has already been released, then you might still end up pregnant, and if you're already pregnant, it is not going to cause a loss of that pregnancy. Plan B is not an abortion pill.

You can't be pregnant when there's no fertilized egg.