The Pill — A Rose Ringed by a Thorn Bush? Past and Present Ramifications
Australian Journal of Gender & Law, Vol. 2, 2009
31 Pages Posted: 28 Feb 2010
Date Written: 2009
Abstract
This Article sets itself a relatively modest target — an evaluation of commonly held assumptions about the impact of the pill on society and explores the changing perceptions of the pill from its discovery in the mid-20th Century into the 21st Century. In adopting what is a general overview, the Article does not seek to gloss over the finer details rather the authors seek to present a broad but incisive overview of the impact of the pill through a robust sketch that engages its impact on the socio-cultural, medico-political and legal landscape. One of the thorny themes that will be engaged robustly will be the controversial issue of the intersection of “rights” and “choice” since these two concepts are often obfuscated in the parlay between contraception and women’s rights on one hand and the heady simplicity of “to pill or not to” as a consumer choice divorced from a much more complex rights landscape. The authors’ readily admit that the complex mosaic wrought by the pill does not readily render itself to an extensive and intensive analysis. That said it is the authors’ belief that the various aspects canvassed are discussed in sufficient detail to not only amplify the diverse spectra that the pill has ‘intruded’ upon but also offer a nuanced, crisp analysis that is underpinned by a steady theme.
Keywords: sexuality, human rights, the pill, medical, feminism
JEL Classification: K11
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation