Hobby Lobby & Birth Control

     A few months ago, Hobby Lobby's pro-life agenda and their unwillingness to provide all types of birth control for their employees made national headlines, and it has sparked numerous debates.  The Supreme Court's backing of Hobby Lobby's healthcare wishes was made apparent in its ruling of the Burwell vs. Hobby Lobby ruling -- it prevents the government from forcing small companies with religious objections to provide certain forms of birth control to its employees.

     I believe this ruling brings an important moral principle into question that we touched on in Tuesday's class.  Female employees' autonomy, or self-governance, is being questioned when they cannot decide for themselves which forms of birth control they wish to use.  By working for Hobby Lobby, one does not automatically assume the business's religious or personal beliefs.  It is not the same, as say, being employed or part of the Roman Catholic Church.  Debbie Wasserman Schultz, chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, summed up the problems with the Supreme Court's backing on Hobby Lobby's anti-birth control (some forms) policy when she stated, "This is a stifling decision for American women.  It's a decision that blocks women from being able to make their own health care decisions".

     To be fair, Hobby Lobby does provide its employees with some forms of birth control, but who are they to determine which forms of birth control are appropriate for their employees?  If the Supreme Court would have ruled against Hobby Lobby, instead of in favor, would they have violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act?  This act states that government cannot place burden on the exercise of the freedom of religion.

     Is the Supreme Court's ruling in favor of Hobby Lobby a step backwards for women's healthcare and their personal decison-making?  Or should Hobby Lobby be allowed to decide for their female employees which types of birth control do not go against their owners' personal beliefs?  In that case, do we, as American workers, need to comply with our enployers' beliefs?  The ruling mentioned small family-run companies, but Hobby Lobby is a chain, not just a small company with twenty employees.  Yes, they are providing employment, and any healthcare is better than none, but should women be enslaved by their employers and not be allowed to make decisions that affect their body, and their body alone?