On Friday, it was announced that the Trump administration was going to rollback on rules that made sure companies included birth control as part of health insurance.
The mandate, introduced under Obama, meant that companies could not refuse to supply contraception based on religious or personal beliefs.
The BBC reports that fifty-five million women received free access to birth control this way.
The change comes as a part of Trump’s overhaul of the Obamacare system which was left in place following Trump’s inauguration.
The US Department of Health and Human Services said that they wanted to rollback on women’s access to free contraception so people do not feel “discriminated because of their religious ideas.”
They also referenced a study which claimed that contraception encourages “risky sexual behaviour.”
Since the announcement was made, many have taken to Twitter to voice their anger and concerns about the change.
One of those people was Hillary Clinton, who called the rollback a “blatant disregard for medicine, science, & every woman’s right to make her own health decisions.”
Rolling back no-copay birth control shows a blatant disregard for medicine, science, & every woman's right to make her own health decisions. https://t.co/bqUxEIT7nY
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 7, 2017
Others echoed her disappointment with many American women saying that the rules under the Obama administration had allowed them to access birth control when they could not afford it themselves.
Since the benefit passed, women have saved 1.4 billion dollars on birth control. This would return that burden to hundreds of thousands. 8/
— Sen. Maggie Hassan (@SenatorHassan) October 6, 2017
All I’m saying that if men had to go through periods or pregnancy then birth control would be sold on every corner #HandsOffMyBC
— salty (@saltyaboutstuff) October 8, 2017
Planned Parenthood also expressed concern, calling the move an “attack” on women’s progress.
An attack on birth control coverage is outrageous. Access to birth control has been *essential* to women’s progress. #HandsOffMyBC
— Planned Parenthood Action (@PPact) October 6, 2017
They added that almost 90 percent of women of reproductive age have used birth control in their lifetime.
In a bid to stop the change from happening, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced that they were suing the Trump administration.
They urged others to add their voices to the cause – “before it’s too late.”
BREAKING: We're suing the Trump administration to block new rules allowing employers to deny insurance coverage for birth control. pic.twitter.com/nDT9QE0n8y
— ACLU (@ACLU) October 6, 2017
