Gainesville residents are split on a recent decision from the U.S. Supreme Court that exempts birth control options from mandated business health insurance coverage.
The Supreme Court announced on Monday its decision on Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores Inc., ruling that family-owned corporations aren’t required to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives in an effort to respect individual religious freedoms.
Steven Willis, a UF law professor, said some corporations argued against requirements to provide contraceptives, such as the morning after pill and intrauterine devices.
An IUD “generally prevents conception but it can also prevent implantation, which would be in a lot of people’s religious views an abortion,” he said.
The Rev. David Ruchinski, a priest at St. Augustine Church on University Avenue, said the ruling enables a family-run business to exercise the same rights that are guaranteed to everyone else under the Constitution.
“That’s why there’s the freedom of religion clause in the Bill of Rights,” he said.
But the court’s decision has also been met with heavy criticism.
“It’s an interesting time right now in America in regards to birth control and policy,” said Dustin Arceneaux, director of education at Planned Parenthood of North Florida.
Arceneaux said birth control options have a lot of positives, aside from conventional use, including preventing ovarian cancer and endometriosis. People were counting on the Supreme Court to rule in favor of the birth control options, he said.
“Planned Parenthood is hoping that employers will stand with their employees and provide them these options,” Arceneaux said.
On Aug. 1, a demonstration is scheduled for the opening day of a new Hobby Lobby in Gainesville to protest the Supreme Court’s decision.
Michela Martinazzi, a lead organizer with UF Students for a Democratic Society, decided on Monday to hold the demonstration. She said she’s against the Supreme Court’s decision because “women entering the workplace will have their boss dictate whether or not they will have birth control.”
The 22-year-old UF alumna said Students for a Democratic Society will be joined by the Alachua County Labor Party and is reaching out to the Occupy Gainesville movement to participate.
“I hope this leads to more successful events and more people join throughout the country,” Martinazzi said. “It’s just a first step to a series of reactions.”
[A version of this story ran on pages 1-3 on 7/1/2014 under the headline "Supreme Court birth control decision divides Gainesville residents"]
