As I was explaining to a friend last week, Britain’s stand on women’s reproductive rights kicks ass. Just yesterday some Conservative Baroness tried to ban over-the-counter sales of the morning-after pill, which has been available here from pharmacists since January 1. The motion was soundly voted down 177-95. The Conservatives were claiming that by making the pill available they’d be giving teenagers a license to have unprotected sex. The Labour government pointed out though, that Britain currently has the highest teen pregnancy rate in all of Europe. The availability of this drug will hopefully help a large number of young girls who would feel uncomfortable to their family doctor for treatment. The real kicker? The teen pregnancy rate in the U.S. is still higher than the U.K.’s.

Categories:

Tags: