Katelyn Yen (she/her) ’27 is a Government and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies major from Charlottesville, VA. She is on the executive boards for Vox: Planned Parenthood Generation Action and the Taiwanese American Student Association. Outside of school, she enjoys fiber arts and spending time with her dog.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.
Your right to contraceptives could be at risk. Amanda Batten (R), Williamsburg’s regional delegate, voted against HB1716, which “establishes a right to obtain contraceptives and engage in contraception.” Batten believes that people should not have a protected right to contraception, including “oral contraceptives, long-acting reversible contraceptives such as intrauterine devices and hormonal contraceptive implants, emergency contraceptives, internal and external condoms, injectables, vaginal barrier methods, transdermal patches and vaginal rings.” Whether these devices are used for pregnancy prevention, STI prevention or other reproductive health care needs, contraception is essential to many people’s lives and welfare. Although the bill has passed, it is still at risk, and our delegate is involved in rejecting it.
I am a 19-year-old student majoring in government and gender, sexuality, and women’s studies, and I work with Vox: Planned Parenthood Generation Action as their DEI chair. I’m deeply passionate about reproductive justice, both academically and personally. I have been on various birth controls since I was 15, and I recognize that my experience is not unique. Plenty of my peers use birth control to regulate their periods and navigate the painful symptoms that come along with it. However, I want to emphasize that the use of contraception to prevent pregnancy is reason enough. Contraception should be accessible to all people, without question or justification necessary.
In light of the recent election, reproductive rights are at risk. A lot of people feel helpless to create positive change. I want to stress the importance of our local elected officials. The right to contraception is a necessity being challenged, and as students at the College of William and Mary, we have the opportunity to make a change through our votes. Local elections receive significantly less attention than national elections, which only makes your vote more important.
We need to ensure that our legislators vote for our rights. Coming up in the fall is the governor’s race. This last year, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed progressive legislation which passed through both the House and the Senate. Having a Democratic governor and local delegate would allow for a more progressive policy which protects contraception, trans rights, queer rights and abortion access. You have a voice in this; remember to use the power that you have and to hold legislators accountable.