The body has always been a site of control, negotiation, and liberation. Our yonis in particular (the Sanskrit word for vagina) seem to be something that everyone, the mother-in-laws of the world, and lawmakers have an opinion about! As such, there are long hxrstories of intersectional feminist and Indigenous activists for reproductive justice in the current borders of Canada and beyond.
Many authors have written a wide range of literature on the topic including academic books, short stories, poems, zines, blogs and more. Feel free to reach out by email or Instagram to nerd about this more together!
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Birth control, or the prevention of pregnancy, is an important aspect of reproductive justice as it allows people who menstruate to have a say over if or when they/we would like to have biological children. For me personally, I fall on the “don’t want to have kids” side of the spectrum. I also know many folks who “wanted to have a baby YESTERDAY!” and also negotiate birth control and fertility in many ways.
Moreover, regardless of a person’s sex, gender, or sexuality, knowledge about birth control can always be useful for ourselves and/or supporting our friends.
In the following excerpts from Self-Care Down There (Bhandal, 2020), I’ve broken down the main options for birth control in Canada into 4 categories:
1. Natural birth control options:
“Fertility awareness method: Tracking the 3 fertile signs and avoiding heterosexual intercourse during the fertile window” (p. 113). For more info see FertilityFriday.com
“Condoms aka Barrier methods: A cover for a penis, vagina, and any combination that stops sperm from being exchanged” (p. 113).
These are the birth control methods I use. I share some of my story with the birth control pill here: Taq’s Story with Birth Control Pill (spoiler alert: it’s was not fun, especially near the end).
2. Synthetic birth control options:
“The birth control pill, patch, shot, ring, hormonal IUD, gender-affirming hormones, or implant: Medical interventions that release factory-made hormones that put the body into menopause” (p. 112). For more info see Options for Sexual Health, Teen Health Source, Catherine White Holman Wellness Center, Trans Care BC, Vancouver Women’s Health Collective, Everywoman’s Health Center, Vancouver Reproductive and Abortion Clinic
“Emergency contraception pill: Taken after unprotected heterosexual intercourse, this method stops ovulation from happening or delays it” (p. 113). Though it’s so great for preventing unwanted pregnancy during those OH SHIT moments. I usually keep one in my medicine cabinet just in case.
Helpful tip: In most pharmacies in Canada, Emergency contraception pills are now available over the counter - meaning you don’t always have to ask the pharmacist. Also, if you do need guidance, you can ask for “Generic Plan B”, as generic versions of drugs are often way cheaper for almost the exact same thing. One Generic Version approved in Canada is called Contingency One.
3. Somewhere in between
“Copper IUD: Inserted by a doctor or [nurse practitioner] into the cervix, the copper IUD releases copper ions (or little bits) that float around inside at concentrations that are toxic to sperm” (p. 113) For more info and access to IUDs see: Options for Sexual Health, Teen Health Source, Catherine White Holman Wellness Center, Trans Care BC, Vancouver Women’s Health Collective, Vancouver Reproductive and Abortion Clinic
4. Abortion Services and Full Spectrum Doula Care
If you would like to know your options for preventing unwanted pregnancies here are some resources and people to check out. Note: they are quite heteronormative, so keep that in mind, though I know many of them are actively working on going beyond binary thinking about sex, gender, and fertility.
Trans-inclusive abortion services manual written by a UBC Social Justice Institute Ph.D. Candidate: https://www.optionsforsexualhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/FQPN18-Manual-EN-BC-web.pdf
Hi & Sat Sri Akal, I’m ਤਕਦੀਰ ਕੌਰ Dr. Taq Kaur Bhandal, the CEO of I’m With Periods. To learn from me, enroll in my online courses for women and our boyfriends or get a copy of my book Self-Care Down There. I am physically based in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Mi’kmaq Treaty Territories. I was born and raised on the west coast of Canada close to Vancouver, British Columbia. My ancestors and family are from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. I’m passionate about long walks in the forest with my fiancé and dog, and reading rom-coms in the bath.