Oredigger

Jennifer Senour began her talk on Green Sex by telling a story about when she was in college at CU Boulder. After the September 11 attacks, she  decided to put an American flag up in the window in her dorm room, but her RA declared it a fire hazard. After asking a series of questions Senour discovered that the real reason why she had to remove the flag was that someone might find it offensive. At that moment, she realized how contradictory it was that the school should make condoms available in the women’s restroom (offensive to her and others) while they condemned the display of an American flag fearing that someone might be offended.  The speeches were sponsored by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS).

Senour then transitioned into her talk on Green Sex by advocating that not using contraceptives is “the greenest way, the natural way to have sex.” Senour explained, “there are huge consequences of contraceptive uses on our environment.”

In Boulder, a study found abnormalities with fish populations. Senour elaborated that an EPA study on the matter discovered that “the main culprits are estrogens and other chemicals from birth control pills.”

She explained that there are 62 million women of reproductive age, 13 million use contraceptives, and “of those, 3.1 million are teenagers.” She also noted, “the typical woman in US culture only wants 2 children.” Senour analyzed that for a sexually active woman to obtain that goal, she would use contraceptives for three decades.

Senour said that there were three main misconceptions about contraceptives primarily spread by industrial interests. First, contraception is “convenient.” Second, “Contraception is responsible.” And third, “It makes us free.”

Senour then began to read the small print on a package for contraceptive pills. She read out loud, “[They] may increase your risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer.”

“Is there something greener?” asked Senour, referring to natural family planning. She explained that there are only really two days per month when it is very common to get pregnant. It’s natural to ovulate, she summarized.

Up next was Sean Dalton who joked that he had been practicing Green Sex for 16 years and had 17 children.

When Dalton and his wife first met, she had to take birth control pills for medicinal reasons. She also wasn’t sure about having children. Dalton explained, “My wife had a lot of fear… even in high school she didn’t even think she wanted to have children.”

However, she had her first pregnancy 7 months into the marriage. Problems were detected and after further tests, the doctor recommended an abortion as there was a high probability of chromosome disorder and the child would probably live a troubled and short life. The Daltons declined. Further in, the baby started causing strain on Dalton’s wife, and the doctor suggested inducing labor early but the doctor explained that the baby might die under those circumstances. The Dalton’s declined. Later that night, Dalton’s wife went into labor naturally. The baby lived for 1 hour. Afterwards, the doctor said “I want you to know, that I didn’t agree with your decision but I do now.”

After the pregnancy, Dalton’s wife no longer required birth control; the problem went away during the pregnancy. They have had five children since and they have been happy with that number.

Dalton explained that with natural family planning, “the divorce rate is less than 2%,” the Mayo Clinic connected birth control pills with breast cancer, and natural family planning was “the best thing for marriage, the family, and the culture.”

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