The Pill + Me
I very much appreciated both of your pieces describing your experiences with birth-control, sexual health, relationships, etc. (See "The Pill + Me," by Caitlin Shetterly, and "Controlling Birth," by Amy Martin, both published May 5.) The frankness and vulnerability with which you told your stories was striking, and a great gift to your readers. Though the details of each of our individual experiences may differ, we all grapple with these issues. Thank you.
Aepril Schaile
Portland
Controlling Birth
I want to thank you for your piece on birth control in the current issue of the Phoenix. (See "Controlling Birth," by Amy Martin, May 5, part of the "Birth Control" package.) I have had similar (and equally horrendous) experiences with the pill, and the worst part was that my gynecologist basically told me all the bizarre side effects were “in my head.” The WORST was one pill, which I put up with for a way too long, just because my doc kept telling me my body would adjust. I went off the pill altogether after my last long-term relationship ended, and guess what? Yes ... my cramping was bad and my periods were more of a nuisance, but I felt like me again! However, your article comes at a very ironic time for me, as I have started seeing a really great guy and out of desperation (and extreme fear of pregnancy) have decided to grudgingly try another pill.
I feel like a slave to these things. It is definitely the paradox of being a contemporary post-feminist woman. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks again for speaking from a perspective that is rarely heard in the media regarding birth control.
Name withheld by request
Attention letter writers
Due to a technical problem, e-mails sent to portland-feedback@phx.com, our normal Letters to the Editor e-mail address, have not been received for about two weeks. If you have sent a letter to the editor and it bounced back, or you have not received a confirmation phone call or e-mail, please re-send the message. I apologize for the inconvenience, and thank you for reading the Phoenix!
Jeff Inglis
Managing editor
