Hey, VOCM,

So VOCM posted a "Question of the Day" that has since been deleted, but it was something to the tune of, "Do you agree with the use of IUD's for teenage girls to prevent pregnancy" or some shit like that.

Guys. What the what.

Some of you may not be sure why this is such an inappropriate question and that is understandable, so I will educate you: BECAUSE IT IS NONE OF ANYONE'S BUSINESS.

What a young woman uses as birth control should not be dangled for the scrutiny of the Newfoundland public. The question in and of itself drips with criticism. "Gather round, everyone, lets judge these teenage girls, shall we?"

However, if everyone must know, and apparently they must, as a former teenage girl and also as the mother of a eventual teenage girl, I personally absolutely agree with the use of IUD's to prevent pregnancy.

As dumbass as the initial question was, lets not act like a bunch of actual dumbasses. A large percentage of teenagers are going to have consensual sex. This is reality. Sorry to those of you who do not live in the real world that is set in the year 2018. To use an IUD is to have responsible sex. Young women who go to their doctors and talk to them and decide on this form of birth control are making an incredibly mature decision which indicates that they are therefore mature enough to have sex.

The problem lies in acting like sex is a bad thing. Why is there anything wrong with two responsible young adults having consensual protected sex? Even more, what is wrong with the woman taking responsibility for her own body and not relying on the male to provide the protection? Why are we opening this up to be shamed?

And while we're all here, lets also throw it out there that IUD's are probably one of the more amazing choices for young women who are not ready to have any children. Once they're in, they're in. For about five years. There is no remembering to take a pill every day. With a copper IUD there are no hormones which many women find make them feel a little off. They decrease period cramps, make periods shorter and lighter (some even disappear, WHOOP!), and most importantly, are one of the most effective forms of birth control. WHY YOU HATIN', VOCM?

I've been talking to high school and junior high school aged kids about sexually transmitted infections and different forms of protection for a couple of years now, and this kind of question absolutely pains me. These young adults are trying to navigate their way through relationships. It is inevitable. We can't prevent them from doing it, but we absolutely can provide them with the tools to do it safely. One of the most important tools is education about what is consent and what is safe.

IUD's, while they don't prevent STI's, are a safe and smart form of birth control.

Also, can I just say, that we all know the old image of a father slipping his son a box of domes and giving him an ol' wink before he heads out the door. Why is it cool for young men to carry around condoms, but how a woman prevents pregnancy is up for discussion as though there is a chance it shouldn't be happening. (Spoiler: it should be).

Second spoiler... teenagers are going to have sex whether they have protection or not. So let them be protected. Let them know that to be responsible with their bodies is more than ok. Women who are protecting themselves are not being promiscuous, as I feel the question implies, they're being adults.

They are protecting themselves from unwanted pregnancies which will only put them on display for even more judgement by small minded individuals who have no business judging anything in the first place.

So girls, you do you. It's your uterus, your body, nobody else's business, and good on you for taking care of yourselves.

And VOCM, come on, guys. Be better.