It’s no secret that women's health has always been a highly neglected issue. From a recent small pilot study showing evidence of lead and arsenic being present in menstrual products, to years of painful periods being brushed off as “ordinary,” it comes as no surprise that even after 50 years of oral contraceptives being around, it is still normal for them to be consumed despite the harm they may cause.

The National Library of Medicine reports that 1.3 million women between the ages of 15 and 49 consume oral contraceptives in Canada. That is 22 football stadiums of people who are taking a medication that is potentially harmful to their health. Birth control, more specifically, oral contraceptives, have been linked to many health issues such as various cancers, infertility problems, and even some cardiovascular issues.

While all these health complications and the lack of effort to fix these issues is concerning in itself, there is a bigger question: Why does the responsibility to prevent unwanted pregnancy fall predominantly on women when it takes two to tango? Not to mention the fact that a 30-minute, easy, and reversible procedure known as a vasectomy, which would act as a contraceptive for men, is available. However, telling them what to do with their bodies would be a violation of their rights as humans so we probably shouldn't do that. Right?

Not only does the responsibility to take this health-deteriorating contraceptive fall on women but if you ask most women, they will tell you that they were encouraged by a family doctor to get on the pill at a young age. Likely because they were told it would be a solution to another problem they went to see their doctor about, such as acne, irregular periods, cramps, migraines, or mood swings. You name it and apparently birth control can fix it. Who knew birth control was the new Advil? Or maybe this just further adds to the long list of negligence around women's health.

If you're ever in search of a good horror story, just ask about the birth control selection process or really anything period-related for that matter. The trial to find the right birth control can be a painful one. Oral birth control is a hormonal drug, and sometimes if you take one that doesn't align with the hormones your body already produces, it can leave you feeling very sick.

On the contrary, you could go with a vaginally inserted birth control known as an Intrauterine Device (IUD). However, many women I know have claimed the insertion process is one of the most painful things they've experienced. And no, being put to sleep for the procedure is not an option.

I would like to choose to believe that we are moving towards a place where these conversations will be had, these topics won’t be taboo, birth control will be the responsibility of everyone and not just women, and every time I complain about cramps a man doesn’t say, Okay, but have you ever been kicked in the…well, you could probably finish that sentence on your own.