News/ Studies

• Current Medical Research (USCCB medical review, Fall 2011)
• See especially:
• Past Use of Oral Contraceptives Associated with Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis
• Most European Women Want to Be Informed of Post-Fertilization Effects of Contraceptive Methods
• Common Form of Hormonal Contraception Increases Cardiovascular Risk
• Birth Control Pills May Keep Nuns Healthy (FoxNews)–more coming on this
• Wisconsin Catholic Hospitals Reimbursed Under Family Planning Waiver (read: Catholic Hospitals violate Catholic Health Directives)
• Involving Men in Family Planning (Inquirer.net)–This article refers largely to contraceptive services, but I think there are points and lessons here on getting men to promote NFP.

Editorial & Commentary

• The Church of Kathleen Sebelius (Wall Street Journal)
• How Evil is Your Birth Control Manufacturer? (Jezebel)
• Yaz, Yasmin & Ortho Evra Patch increase risk of blood clots (Society of Menstrual Cycle Research blog)
• Leadership in Pharmaceutical Companies: Where are the Women? (RH Reality Check)
• Plan ‘Oh No They Didn’t': Roundup of Response to Plan B decision (Ms. blog)
• New Birth Control Decisions Don’t Mean Birth Control is Killing You (Jezebel) [It's not killing you yet]

Reflections

• Raising Human Beings & Life Lessons from the Duggars (Millions of Miles Blog)
• Natural Family Planning–Does it work for everyone?  Check out her earnest, albeit flawed reasoning (WhatToExpect.com)

(c) 2011 J.Smith

My new blog cards are ‘a comin. Let me know if you like them. If I like them when I get here, I’ll send them to you if you want to hand ‘em out or leave them at random co-ops and farmers markets.

I love dance.

How is dance related to the plague of contraceptive culture? Allow me to explain where this idea started.

My mother was a dancer. I got the genes as well, although I didn’t train nearly as long or hard as my mother, and some of my gymnastics and drill team compatriots. But I rediscovered my profound passion for the power of dance when I watched a few episodes of SYTYCD this season.

Did you watch the piece from the final four above? This was one of several powerful pieces on this past Season 8 of SYTYCD, choreographed by Stacy Tookey. I loved it. I hated it. I loved it.

I loved it because Tookey’s choreography was beautiful and well executed. However, I cringed because the idea of repressed 50′s housewives is unoriginal. Why revisit this? Are feminists really still engaging the 50′s-as-respressive cliche? Is it the popularity of Mad Men (which I love)? Is this the appearance of Vintage snark products such as these in card shops everywhere? I wondered to myself how sexist the 50′s actually *were*.

Cliche and stereotypes are based on truth, as are caricatures. Therefore, I am totally willing to engage an intelligent conversation about sexism through the last several decades.

Puritanism ruled. We should own this and not pretend that post-war, pre-sexual revolution America was some idyllic time. Many women who had gifts and talents were looked down upon for pursuing their passion professionally, some sacrificed great careers (think “The Red Shoes”) and some were unable altogether. Women were seen as objects, rather than amazing gifts to the world in their own right. Women who wanted to balance their gifts inside and outside the home found childbearing and discerning family size difficult. There were limited options on the reproductive health front. Popular morality was a huge part of this, influencing the availability of reproductive technologies, namely the contraceptive pill. (It should be noted that reproductive technologies like modern NFP–not the Rhythm Method–has been around since the 30′s and 40′s, and was further systematized in the 50′s & 60′s.)

I think the implication here is that housewife (read: stay at home mom) = oppression. While there can be some truth to the struggle of the 1950′s housewife, many women were completely happy using their gifts at home. Many were able to pursue careers as well. This is not to belittle the real mid-centry feminist struggle, but the way this cliche is played out here  is very narrow, and tends to demean the feminine genius, authentic femininity, intrinsically linked to childbearing (whether those are physical or spiritual children).

While there is truth and beauty here, the way it can be portrayed tends to shed a negative life on the “traditional” wife and the “tradition” of having children–even many of them. It instills fear of this calling, this beautiful and even noble way of life. And that is very dangerous.

The New Picket Fences

You know what is also dangerous? Pretending like the new status quo–reproductive “rights” and the contraceptive mentality–is something revolutionary. Certain groups like to pretend like they’re raging against the machine, the Man, but they are really just the new “traditional”. Contraception is the new white picket fence. 

The white picket fence has come to symbolize boundaries, limitations and domestic repression. While it has certain suburban airs of tradition and tranquility, my notion of the picket fence in pop culture leans toward the bête noire, something to avoid (like cliches).

What is more dangerous than chemicals and hormones that increase your risk for developing blood clots, strokes, cancer, and mental health issues? What’s more limiting than suppressing your fertility–an indication of your body working correctly–and putting yourself in a state of false pregnancy, which effects your pheromones and some say your ability to make good relationship stories? (I challenge you to find the award-winning article “The Divorce Pill”, or the read the less hard to find “Tricky Chemistry of Attraction” by Shirley Wang of the Wall Street Journal.) What’s more repressive than denying a part of your authentic femininity, and being sexually objectified? Numerous contemporary feminists at once extoll birth control, yet complain of what it does to them, and how it allows others to use them. What kind of disintegrated Jekyll & Hyde existence is this?

A Challenge to New Feminists & Artists

I’m bored of the third wave feminists and reproductive rights activists. It’s all very unoriginal. You know what is original? New feminism, the feminism of John Paul II, the Theology of the Body, ressourcement theologians and the Communio school of thought. What would the new feminist version of this dance look like? What would the icons and images of this rage against the new picket fences be? Art is power, but it must be original, it must be clever, and it can’t be didactic and preachy. What are you going to come up with?

For further food for thought, check out Rosanna Arquette’s 2002 documentary, “Searching for Debra Winger,” a film conversation about women trying to work out life-work-inspiration balance in the film industry. (H/T Kim for making me watch this years ago.) It’s worldly and oriented to second and third wave feminism, but it’s still thought provoking and interesting to listen to people we think are cookie cutter celebrities work out this struggle.

[guest post by Kaitlin Carruth, Ceiba Participant Coordinator]

If you were thinking about starting the Creighton Model this is definitely the time!  The Creighton Model Effectiveness and Intentions Assessment (the CEIBA Study) is now enrolling new and return users of the Creighton Model. The study will look at the effectiveness of the method as well as gather information on how the method is used.

Many have found health and marital relationship benefits from natural family planning. The following is a true story that one of our study participants shared with us:

“I had been on birth control since my teenage years because of issues with my menstrual cycle (irregular, heavy bleeding, unbearable cramping, mood swings, etc.) and I had seen a lot of the side effects it had on my body. As we began looking into it, we learned that using the Creighton Model would help me figure out some of my female issues as well as provide a way to avoid pregnancy. I quickly realized that birth control was just a band-aid solution. Through learning to chart from a nurse (and having a good doctor), we would be able to figure out exactly where the issues stem from so we can fix it naturally rather than putting synthetic hormones into my body.

           My husband and I started learning the Creighton Model a few months before our wedding and it was not hard, it’s just a commitment. We always felt extremely supported! We couldn’t be happier knowing that we are preventing pregnancy naturally and when the time comes for us to have children, we are confident that this model will help us achieve pregnancy just as easily as we were able to prevent it. Being a part of the CEIBA study is very important to us, as well. We want to show others that Natural Family Planning is a healthy and effective way to avoid pregnancy. We just wish that more people knew about it!”

The study will involve at least 300 couples, 17 FertilityCare Centers and the University of Utah Coordinating Center. We currently have 280 participants. We will finish enrollment October 31^st of this year so act soon!

Participant Requirements:

• Being a new or return user of the Creighton Model with the stated intention of avoiding pregnancy
• Sexually active by October 31, 2011
• The woman is between the ages of 18 to 40
• The man is age 18 or older
• The woman has had at least 2 menstrual flows in the past 3 months or at least one menstrual flow since stopping hormonal birth control or postpartum

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of infertility
• Confirmed pelvic inflammatory disease, surgically confirmed untreated endometriosis, chemotherapy (either man or woman), or radiation to the reproductive tract (either man or woman)
• Hysterectomy, oophorectomy (ovary removed), tubal ligation, fallopian tube surgery, surgery for ectopic pregnancy, removal of a testicle (orchiectomy) or vasectomy
• Depo-Provera injection any time in the past 2 years
• Totally breastfeeding an infant, without any supplements

If you are interested or you would like to learn more about the Creighton Model or the study, please visit the Ceiba web page, call 801-231-6434, or email us at ceibastudy[at]gmail.com. You can also “like” us on Facebook.   

Guest blog post: Get sold on awesome intimacy, not an expensive wedding

I can’t believe I totally missed this, but Dustin over at Engaged Marriage posted one of my articles as a guest post…..over a year ago! I remember sending him that piece earlier that year, and him saying it might be good for the spring, but I didn’t hear back. So…check it out. I’m going to go take a closer look at the comments.

I just saw on Twitter (H/T to Living the Sacrament) that this week’s The Catholic View Episode is entitled, “The Contraception Deception.” IT airs Friday, July 8th at 6:30pm EST. Boom. Can’t wait to see what they roll out. By the way, in case you didn’t know, EWTN has their shows live streaming on their website as well.

For more about their show schedule, check out this flyer (and post it in your parish/ community)!

Fr. Z over at WDTPRS does what he does–some snappy commentary on the CFAM piece that describes the latest non-sensical condescension from a UN delegate whose only idea of family planning is chemical oppression or surgical mutilation.

Oh, reproductive colonialism, will you ever learn of the destruction you leave in your wake?

Just in case you didn’t see this great piece by fertility super advocate and one time  One More Soul Exec Director, Jenn Giroux, check it it out: “Giving a Pass to the Pill.”

Shouldn’t the same standards and cautions be applied to warning labels to alert women about diseases caused by “the pill” and all other forms of harmful hormonal contraception?

This reminds me of a conversation with a nurse in Madison, Wisconsin, who I had asked to make some NFP brochures available in the OB/GYN floor. She saw the Go Organic brochure with contraceptive side effects/ risks listed, and freaked out–not because she was surprised to learn the truth, but because she that I was some extremist exaggerating and lying. I remember her saying, “If this stuff is true, there should be a black box warning on birth control.” No kidding, Nancy Drew. I responded by saying something less sarcastic than that (by an immense act of the will), suggesting that this information was clearly footnoted and referenced to legitimate studies, copies of which I sent to her. I also implied that she had a rather rosy view of corporate pharma, which has a lot of money at stake in the contraceptive business.

Shouldn’t women – and parents of young girls – be alerted? Isn’t it time to ask if the pill and other forms of hormonal contraception are a prescription for breast cancer?

Indeed, they should be alerted. This starts with copies of this article and other good information being passed on to young women, their mothers in every day and pastoral circumstances. Resolution: Send a copy of What a Woman Should Know About Birth Control and Giroux’s article to your pastor, DRE, and youth director. You’d be surprised at how many don’t know how  dangerous contraceptives can be–all in the name of clear skin and fake “regular” cycles.

Patty Schneier makes me cry.

Schneier came to Madison two years ago as part of our Humanae Vitae 40th Anniversary Events and Celebrations. And she rocked it. I had heard CDs of her talks, “Prove It, God!” and “Reaching the Cafeteria Catholic,” and “Parents Get Real…Talk to Your Teen About Love,” and knew she would be good. She makes me cry. Ok, I’m a little bit of a crybaby, but I’ve heard a lot of inspirational talks, and they don’t always get me, particularly when they’re on a topic I’m already decided about. Particularly when I’ve already heard the talks five times. But there I was standing at the back of the auditorium, my mind occupied with a thousand details of the event I was running. And I was crying. So were other people. Afterwards, when there was a huge line to talk to her at the reception, people had red eyes and were talking to her excitedly.

Last week I was listening again to her Cafeteria Catholic CD, and she did it again.

She might be coming to a city near you. And if you live in Wisconsin (southwest), she’s coming to a city near you next week. Go. Go, I say.

Patty Schneier, nationally-renowned Theology of the Body speaker, will give a four-part talk series at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Darlington, WI on Saturday, Nov. 13 (talks at 7 and 9pm) and Sunday, Nov. 14 (talks at 1 and 3pm). Admission is free. For the purpose of food preparation, an RSVP is helpful, but not required. To RSVP, leave a message with the parish office at 608-776-4059. Spread the word!

So, I’m doing my best get back into the swing of things, and to regain my sanity in my free time. Think Again Thursdays are back. We’ll start out nice and easy. Stay tuned for the post about the note I got from Cherie Blair, wife of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, who wrote me in response to this post and letter writing campaign to correct her. (I sent her an NFP/ TOB care package, which she got.)

But in the mean time, check out these geniuses:

“Natural family planning methods such as the calendar method, abstinence during ovulation and high risk time periods, withdrawal prior to ejaculation are generally 77-88% effective.”

And I love the disclaimer:

The content of this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional, medical or health care advice.

The information on this website should not be used to diagnose or treat a health condition without consulting a qualified health care professional.

Whilst we endeavour to ensure that the content of this website is accurate and correct we do not warrant its completeness or accuracy; nor do we commit to ensuring that thewebsite remains available or that the material on this website is kept up-to-date; nor can we be held responsible for any future changes that may occur in this constantly expanding area of study.

Read: We really don’t know what we’re talking about. We mostly use this page for ad revenue, but we have just enough web site design, apparent awareness and links to mislead you or reinforce your negative stereotypes about NFP.

Would you care to please email them–barrage them really–to let them know they they’re wrong, misleading, and getting ad revenue for lying: admin@methodsofhealing.com.

My comment:

I’ll be giving my version of Janet Smith’s “Contraception: Why Not” called “Family Planning: Thinking Outside the Pill” at the Denver Cathedral CLAY Group, April 11th at 7:45pm (after 6:30pm Mass) in the parish rectory basement.

The talk will cover contraception, its false promises, what the Church really teaches on marriage, family, fertility and family planning, and what what the deal is with Natural Family Planning (NFP).

Questions that will be addressed include:

• Contraception helps women and families? Why is the Church against helping ease family stress?
• What about overpopulation? Isn’t contraception helping this?
• Doesn’t contraception help prevent unwanted pregnancies and lower the abortion rate…isn’t the Church against abortion?
• I need the Pill for medical reasons. Isn’t that okay?
• NFP isn’t effective. If we really need to postpone a pregnancy, why would I even use NFP?
• I’m not Catholic. Isn’t NFP just a Catholic thing?

….and more!

Facebook invite is here.

This is exactly why we need to make their parishes NFP parishes, and why we need to hear more about the evils and ills of contraception, and the call to chastity within marriage. Send this testimony to your Bishop, DRE, parish priest, or church pastor/ leader, asking them to make NFP a priority in their Diocese/ Parish/ faith community. (Thanks for sharing your story, Dustin.)

See also:

• Priests & Bishops: If you promote NFP, Vocations will come (includes a guide to clergy resources)
• Carlson links Vocations “crisis” to Contraception