I Never Planned for Plan B
It’s 2021. Why are we, as women, still feeling nervous or ashamed to look after our sexual health and wellbeing?
For the first time ever, I went to the pharmacy asking for a Plan B and let me just say - your girl’s anxiety and stress levels were Through. The. Roof.
I wasn’t alone in the pharmacy that morning, but I felt it. With a sweet elderly woman behind me, and an attractive young man in front of me (tragically this is not the beginning of our love story), I felt the chance that anyone else was there in Plan B Solidarity was pretty slim. It was dead silent, no one was making eye contact with each other, and I felt like everyone knew why I was there. And then I had a moment of clarity. I had the best sex last night. I should be standing on the counter yelling it, not whispering it to the pharmacist like I’ve done something wrong. I haven’t done anything wrong! In fact, I’m doing everything right. I’m looking after my sexual health.
As I was waiting in line, cursing the fact I didn’t spend the night with my Majesty 2 instead, it really got me thinking about why I was feeling so uncomfortable about asking for Plan B. Was it the fact that I had never needed emergency contraception before? Or was it simply because I lied to my mum about why I was needing to rush to the pharmacy so early in the morning? It could be both, and I pray my mum will never find out.
It’s a tale as old as time; as women, if you’re sexually active, you are told to always use a form of protection - whether that’s a condom, the pill, the IUD, or the rod. Contraception is a team effort and women should not solely be relied on to manage it. We already go through enough regarding the side effects of most contraceptives - what happens when those forms of contraception don’t work, or you’ve just completely forgotten the condom in the heat of the moment? We’ve all been there, and it’s nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about. Plan B is there for emergencies, and 99% of the time that’s why we’re so flustered and in a rush to get our hands on it. We’re just doing what’s best for us, as quickly as we can.
There should not be any stigma around looking after your sexual wellbeing. We should be proud that we’re taking care of ourselves and our sexual health. Whether you’re going for a routine checkup, or for a potential STI test, you shouldn’t have to feel embarrassed or ashamed of how you are looking after yourself and your sexual wellbeing.
Let’s make 2021 the year where we own our sexual health. The power to change the conversation is in our hands.
