Here’s Lena Dunham Explaining The Contraceptive Pill In Three Simple Tweets

Lena Dunham, a strong advocate for the rights women should have over their own bodies, Tweeted a very simple, yet precise explanation of the Pill to her 1.6m followers after a curious 10-year-old asked her what she was taking after her dinner.

Why does this need explaining? Well, first of all it provides you with a little short snappy reply to use the next time some doofus asks you why you take the Pill (if you take it, or any other form of contraception). And secondly the Pill – or the birth-control pill, as they like to call it in America – is a bit of a hot topic at the moment. By launching his controversial Obamacare President Obama wants to make it a legal requirement for employers to provide affordable medical care to their employees.

However, Hobby Lobby (a crafts and hobby shop) have said they won't be giving their employees any coverage because it means they can have access to contraception. They've gone all the way to the Supreme Court to defend their right to impinge upon women's rights, claiming that to provide the Pill to their employees, like they would any other routine medication, would be in breach of their religious rights.

Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the majority's opinion up into a 49-page report (side note: 49 pages of what? 'We don't like women'?), explained that Hobby Lobby see the pill, the morning-after pill and the coil as 'abortifacients' (things which cause abortion), as opposed to the scientifically-proven contraceptions (things which cause conception to never happen, so the sperm and egg never meet) that they are.

He says that 'there are other ways in which Congress or HHS [Health and Human Services] could equally ensure that every woman as cost-free access to the particular contraceptives at issue here.'

The ruling has caused protests across America, with people holding 'no bosses in my bedroom' placards, and Cecile Richards, the CEO for Planned Parenthood is quoted by Bustle as saying: 'Today, the Supreme Court ruled against American women and families, giving bosses the right to discriminate against women and deny their employees access to birth control coverage. This is a deeply disappointing and troubling ruling that will prevent some women, especially those working hourly-wage jobs and struggling to make ends meet, from getting birth control.'

But isn't it a pretty strange and sad indictment of the American health care system in the first place that people have to go through work to get the Pill? And another reason to be grateful to the (free) NHS...

** Follow Sophie on Twitter @sophwilkinson**

Picture: Rex

This article originally appeared on The Debrief.