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Published Jul 25, 2022

#223: The Business of Birth Control with Ricki Lake

Mark Groves hosts Ricki Lake in an enlightening discussion about the personal and societal impacts of birth control, highlighting the need for informed consent and transparency in women's healthcare. They delve into her documentary, "The Business of Birth Control," exploring hidden side effects, systemic challenges, and the empowering potential of menstrual cycle tracking and home births.
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  • Personal Experiences

    shares her personal experiences with birth control, revealing surprising effects she discovered while making her documentary. She recalls using the pill for convenience, unaware of its side effects like hair loss and hormonal changes. Ricki emphasizes the importance of informed choice, noting how birth control can alter pheromones and attraction, which many women are unaware of 1.

    I am not coming from a place of trying to scare women off of these pills. I just want to educate them so they know, okay, this can cause low lying depression. This can change your libido.

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    adds that the lack of informed consent often leaves women questioning themselves rather than the medication 2.

       

    Societal Impact

    The societal implications of birth control extend beyond individual experiences, affecting women's autonomy and health choices. discusses the lack of informed consent and the tragic stories of families affected by severe side effects, like pulmonary embolisms and strokes 2. These stories highlight the need for transparency and better labeling, akin to cigarette warnings, to empower women with the knowledge to make informed decisions 3.

    We don't want to scare women. We don't want to be fear mongering, but we want to shed light and pull back the veil so that everyone has access to this information and can make an educated choice for themselves.

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    emphasizes the importance of re-education about these drugs, especially in the context of women's rights being challenged 4.

       

    Industry Critique

    and critique the pharmaceutical industry's influence on birth control narratives, highlighting the suppression of critical voices. Mark reflects on his past in the pharmaceutical industry, noting how questioning drug safety is often discouraged 5. Ricki shares how the film aims to challenge the status quo and promote informed consent, despite resistance from medical institutions 6.

    It's enraging...we have generally been, just, through media and public health, been encouraging, shaming those who question and silencing it continuously.

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    They both stress the need for transparency and education to empower individuals to make informed health decisions 7.

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