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Aine Seitz McCarthy
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Don't make things up: read papers

2/27/2012

3 Comments

 
Repeating a particular phrase or story over and over does not make it true. Further, having a particular personal theory that has been validated by you in the small sample size of your own life experiences also does not make it true. In fact, we have people dedicated to testing theories. It's called research.

This completely uninformed theorizing is particularly frightening as it relates to reproductive rights and the ugly republican primary.

The permeated scared theory that a couple of old guys have planted that easier access to birth control will induce an evil moral decline is not just angering and ridiculous, its uninformed.  Here's what birth control does: it results in large increases in overall female education, further increases in labor force participation, particularly during childbearing ages, raising the number of annual hours worked and enabling future independence.  Additionally, it improves education outcomes for children. Didn't someone say the economy the should be the main issue?

It's so shocking and disappointing that solid empirical evidence like this is completely ignored and that the personalized theorizing is all that we hear, that sometimes you just have to laugh. Thank you, Amy Poehler:

Mike Huckabee joined the fight against President Obama's mandate saying "We're all Catholics now." You know who is not all Catholic now? All Catholics now. 98% of Catholic women say they've used birth control.

Wait, maybe Amy Poehler just made up a fact that everyone seems to be repeating? No, this fact comes from a research paper.

Head nod: CBT, LANS


Addendum: A distinguished fan (read: dad) noted my inappropriate language choice in the title. He's probably right.
3 Comments
Aine
2/28/2012 12:15:15 pm

More sometimes you just need to laugh:

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/251fa6410b/women-s-health-experts-speak-out?rel=player

Reply
Barbara Hermansen
3/1/2012 09:51:52 am

Proud to know you, Aine!

Reply
Keta McCarthy
3/2/2012 02:59:37 am

Results of birth control on women and children according to your bloc...yes and so true.

Reply



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    Aine Seitz McCarthy

    International development, economics and some pretty ambitious ideas from a stubborn graduate student clinging to her sense of adventure.


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