Why are women shamed for taking the morning after pill?

[Sophestry]

I guess there is an underlying assumption that, if you're taking emergency contraception, you didn't use contraception, but in reality no contraceptive is 100% effective and, if you don't want another child, it is often the right choice for you at the time.

Young mothers, married ladies, people in long term relationships and pretty much anyone with a uterus who has sex may seek emergency contraception at some time in their life. Some experiences are really straight forward and easy but, especially outside of the cities, it can be really horrible.

This has turned into a bit of a rant, but I'm curious to find out what your thoughts are RE morning after pill shaming and if you think there is still a stigma attached to emergency contraception.

Inspired by this: www.mymorningafter.co.uk/mymorningafterstories

That makes me really iresponsible then! I often have pre-lunch sex on days off and pre-dinner sex. Rarely at night. How irresponsible can a woman be? For goodness sake.

What am I reading on this thread.
Pharmacists stay open out of hours as it’s their actual job, as is issuing emergency contraception.

A woman accessing emergency contraception an hour after sex is a pretty smart woman.

How is it not irresponsible? The MAP was used because an hour before, two people decided to have sex unprotected and used the MAP as the first port of call? In that case it is irresponsible. And I haven’t divulged any critical identifying details, calm down.

Accidents happens. Issues happen. But when it’s used in such a blasé way, well I do think it’s feckless

I just wish there was a pill that you could take after every time you have sex rather than having to always take contraception or hope for the best with condoms.

How do you know their condom didn’t split? How do you know so much about this woman’s circumstances? Why are you judging her for having sex?

One woman came in looking for the MAP quite easy going at 5pm...an hour after the intercourse took place

And....

You've posted this as if to shock or make a point but it hasn't worked. Woman took map after sex...yeah, that's pretty much the point.

Way back when I was a student, I had friends who used to take the MAP because they thought carrying condoms made them "look easy."

I worried about the healthiness of their attitude to sex and the sexual double standard. I felt saddened at the internalised misogyny behind their decision. I worried about the health implications of repeated use of what were back then huge doses of hormones.

However there were two things I didn't worry about. One, that they wanted to have sex without getting pregnant. The other was them taking responsibility for their fertility (albeit belatedly and possibly not in the most effective way).

I get the distinct impression that for some posters on here, the actual objection is to women having active sex lives outside of a stable relationship in which they intend at some stage to get pregnant.

The first time I took the MAP I was 17. I asked at the counter of my local pharmacy and they fetched the senior pharmacist - who was my old brownie leader!

Tbf she was lovely but the cringe factor was off the scale!

I used the pharmacy in the next big town after that. And both times were because of failed contraceptive. Not that I'd judge. Taking the map is a responsible move if you don't want to get pregnant.

I have taken the MAP 3 times over the last 10 years (all 3 after condoms splitting so I wasn't intending to have unprotected sex). I am glad to say I've never felt judged and the pharmacists I've dealt with have all been professional and helpful. I find it odd that some people still harbour this feeling that women need to be 'punished' for enjoying sex. What is there to gain by forcing a woman to have a baby she doesn't want and possibly would be unable to support? Why, in a time and country where access to emergency contraception is widely available, should we discourage women from using that option? I find it baffling. On one occasion I took the MAP an hour after intercourse- not sure how this makes me irresponsible? Surely I was being very responsible as the MAP has a higher success rate the earlier you take it?!