May 12, 2010 – Hour 1

Last Sunday marked the 50th anniversary of the FDA approving the first oral contraceptive.  The pill has been heralded as a tremendously important part of equal rights for women – allowing women to delay having children, letting them advance further in the workplace, being able to take control of their own fertility, and more.  However, there is still a long way to go before affordable, accessible birth control options are available to all women (and men).  Today we take a look at the history of the pill, the complexities of the relationship between women of color and birth control, why almost 50% of pregnancies in the United States are still unplanned, why there’s no pill for men, and much more.
Our panel is:
Kierra Johnson, Executive Director of Choice USA
Latoya Peterson, editor and frequent contributor at racialicious.com
Marianne Githens, Professor of Women’s Studies at Goucher