In Clifford Phillips’ letter, “First step is responsibility” (Sept. 29), he wonders, “where is the outrage over not taking accountability before emergency contraception is required?”

Phillips’ ill-mannered rant about contraceptives and his speculation on the irresponsibility of women seeking a contraceptive pill is quite insulting.

First of all, emergency contraception is simply a way of preventing pregnancy, it is not an abortion, and therefore averts an unwanted pregnancy. Phillips assumes that the actions leading up to the need for emergency contraception are irresponsible, along with the decision to prevent the unintended pregnancy. But who is to decide what prior events are responsible or irresponsible? Plans do not always work out the way they were intended: Condoms break, clinics are closed, pills are misplaced; life is simply full of unexpected events. Responsibility is using emergency contraception.

The idea of allowing pharmacists to make a judgment call on who is or is not allowed to access emergency contraception is alarming and a violation of a woman’s fundamental human right to control her own fertility. Women should be allowed to make healthy and responsible choices about their bodies and using preventive, FDA-approved medicine is definitely a responsible choice.

Caroline Johansen

Spokane