This letter is a response to the column, “Men should’t rule women’s bodies,” published in the Oct. 18, 2012 edition of The Daily Illini. 

Mr. Huska asks, “How can anyone take … middle-aged, nearly-balding men voting on women’s birth control seriously?”

Apparently, legislation should only concern itself with what relates to middle-aged, balding men. Congress is already unproductive — imagine if they worked under Huska’s conditions for debate; I wonder, if these same follically-challenged men had voiced opposition to H.R.1, would Mr. Huska have considered their perspective impaired?

Mr. Huska later passes judgment on Georgetown University denying coverage of contraception to a student. He seems to be discrediting the university’s capacity to distinguish between contraception “for contraception” versus contraception for “non-contraceptive” purposes. I don’t know if he is saying they needed young, fully-haired women to decide the outcome?

He goes on to write that there is “a reoccurring theme here: men as the “experts” on women’s reproductive health.” Mr. Huska seems to be knowledgeable on women’s health injustices. Thankfully, he’s not middle-aged, nor balding, but is a man — two criteria shy of being incapable of making sound reproductive health judgments for women. Good thing he didn’t write this article 15 years from now, or else he’d be impossible to trust.

He then rebukes the name-calling of contraceptive-using women as “sluts.” I didn’t read the whole text for H.R.1, but because I missed this one, it must have been in section 1810. He seems to be implying here that it’s unjust for Viagra to be covered but not contraceptives under these religiously-motivated insurance providers. Assuming Mr. Huska has researched the health and relational benefits of utilizing natural means of contraception, then he is certainly entitled to his opinion.

I agree with his sentiment that religion can’t tell me what to do with my body, so, if women own their own bodies, then what about men? Do we own ours too? Mr. Huska writes, “A woman’s body is owned by her, not a religious institution.” When do women and men start owning their bodies and not have to be told what to do? (i.e. live or die)

I thought Mr. Huska left one on a tee when he says: “Women as child-bearers means that they must care for more than just one body,” supporting their unborn kiddo. Or was that supposed to be a qualified statement?

Michael Schaefer,

graduate student in Agricultural and Biological Engineering