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Lynette Saldana

Miss Figueroa

Senior English 1

2 November 2018

Minors’ Consent Law

Teenagers are proving their level of responsibility and taking charge in their life without

their parents or guardian. For the last thirty years, all minors have had complete access to any

contraceptive without their parents’ consent. However it is an act of being a young adult; who

are just taking full control of their actions. Due to the Minors’ Consent law, minors at the age of

twelve and up, can buy or receive birth control without a parents’ permission. The health clinic

the minor attends cannot even reveal that the minor attended the clinic to the parent. If the minor

goes to a clinic, there is a major possibility that the product they receive will be at a reduced

price or even free. Contraceptives have been a big deal in the United States since the 1960s. In

most cases, it is more common for females to obtain birth control from a clinic than males. Due

to the many different religions and morals, parents have, they frown upon this law because they

will see premarital intercourse as a sin. This an issue affecting minors and parents.

Due to a teenager’s lack of responsibility they should not be treated as an adult. They are

children who are not aware of what they are doing to their bodies and due to this law neither do

their parents. Teens are children who consume these products are going behind their parents’

backs and not being fully honest with them. Personally, I feel young women are becoming

physically mature at a younger age. As an outcome of that, they will want to and most likely will

become sexually active sooner than most will think. Looking into the future the age on the law

will possibly decrease. With money and power, my call to action would be to set up focus groups
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to explain to both teens and parents or guardians; by health care providers the upsides and the

downfalls on consuming contraceptives. Parents need to adapt to the new generations however,

teens have to adapt to the morals of their parents. Minors who are twelve and up should have

access to any form of contraception, without parental consent; because the majority of teens’

parents are not open to contraceptive, there are also many religious families who believe sex is a

sin, lastly teenagers are not always comfortable talking about sex with their parents

So many old fashion parents will choose to believe that their minor is not sexually active

and will threaten them if they are. Due to this their child might feel the need to not tell their

parent they are taking part in consuming contraceptives. All a parent should want is for their

child to be safe and smart. According to a debate website on the topic, “should teens be allowed

to obtain birth control without a parents consent”, a parent states “I would rather find out that my

daughter was being smart and responsible enough to get protection, than to find out that she is

pregnant at a young age.” Parents would prefer to find out their child is being responsible,

thinking twice, and preventing an unwanted predicament. A teenager is going to do what they

want and telling them no is just going to push them to do it even more. A way to process the fact

is “If a teenage girl wants to have sex it is her choice no one else can make the choice. Yes sex

should be saved until you are older but let’s be realistic, teens do not wait. Teens will have sex if

they want to with or without consent so they should be allowed birth control so they can have

safe sex” (Debate.org). Regardless of the way you were raised, sex is in teens’ minds and they

are going to take part in sexual relations with or without a parents consent. With being sexually

active comes responsibility.

From religions and the different morals parents carry they feel minors purchasing

contraceptives are wrong. Growing up in a religious household teens know they cannot go their
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parents when it comes to contraceptives. “Nonetheless they need protection so they should be

able to obtain birth control without parental consent” (debate.org). Teenagers cannot have an

open door policy with their parents. A parents focus is their child main and as they get older it is

hard for a parent to comprehend their child is consuming a product without their opinion. For the

last thirty years, the minors consent law states “You do not need permission from a parent or

guardian to get birth control. In fact, it is unethical and illegal for clinic workers or health care

providers to tell your parents/guardians you were even at the clinic” (teenhealthsource). As a

teenager, there are time where they need to constantly needing to prove themselves as a

responsible young adult. Teens are growing adults; they are growing from their parents and

taking their own life into their own hands.

Parents are unaware that their minor is sexually active. The reason for teens not having

open door policy feel like they cannot confide in their parent or guardian. Regardless of the

situation minors “need protection so they should be able to obtain birth control without parental

consent” (debate.org). Children who have abusive parents or just parents who have firm

parenting style are not going to allow their child to obtain birth control. Birth control is a smart

way for a teenager to make adult decisions and be smart. Research shows “Birth control prevents

teenage pregnancies and abortions -- when teens know about it and are able to use it” (Kaplan

Karen). By taking birth control and knowing how to use it, it can help prevent pregnancy and/or

abortions Teens need to be aware of their options before they put themselves in a predicament

they do not want to be in.

In an old fashion sense, having sexual relations means you are married or an adult. When

you become sexual active, you are potentially ready for child. From a parents point of view “No

girl needs to have birth control unless they are having sex. And no girl should be having sex until
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they are ready to care for a child. You never no what could happen. Sex can ruin a girls life…”

(debate.com). Birth control should not be used by children who have no business being in an

sexual relationship. Teens want responsibilities and the ability to parent themselves yet they are

still children. A parent might view this topic as “If teens believe they are responsible enough to

have sex and then they should be responsible enough to talk about contraception with their

parents” (debate.org). Parents and their child should have an open door policy with each other; as

an act of responsibility and taking charge of their actions. By teens growing into adults, they

need to realize they will have to deal with uncomfortable conversations but they just have to go

through it.

Teenagers have other priorities like doing well in school and being a kid. Teens are soon

to be adults but they are still children. Many will agree with “If a parent doesn't want their child

having sex, than the Government, Planned Parenthood, and liberals can't say otherwise”

(deate.org). A parent has a right to their child and the decision that involve their child. Birth

control does not always have a full affective and can sometimes fail. If a contraceptive is

unsuccessful and the child gets pregnant, they “are going to have to answer them about their sex

life anyways” (debate.org). If a teen gets caught in a predicament such as pregnancy there is

nothing they can hide. You never know the outcome in your decisions so it is best to be honest.

To piggyback onto teens having other priorities and them being childish is

understandable. However, teenagers are growing adults and they need to grow responsibility for

themselves. Most minors buying birth control are in high school, the focus high school students

have is their social life. The minors consent law is a way for teenagers to be smart and

responsible and in most cases; the process gets more difficult if their parents’ decision is

involved. Not all teens feel that they can confide in their parent.
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Minors having access to contraceptives without parental consent is important to minors

who live in an old fashion, religious, or secretive household. Parents who are old school will not

accept their child for being involved in sexual relations. In numerous households where the

family practices religion, it is a sin to be sexually active. Teenagers do not let their parents in on

their personal life, having sex is one them. My call to action is making therapy groups for parents

and minors to explain the disadvantages and advantages to consuming birth control. This will

help build trust and responsibility between parents and their teen.

Word Cited

“Accessing Birth Control on Your Own Terms.” Teen Health Source, 7 Dec. 2016,

teenhealthsource.com/birthcontrol/birth-control/.
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Kaplan, Karen. “Study: Good Access to Birth Control Prevents Teen Pregnancy, Abortion.” Los

Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2014, www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-

sn-teen-pregnancy-contraception-choices-project-20141001-story.html.

“Should Teens Be Allowed to Obtain Birth Control without Parental Consent?” Debate.org,

www.debate.org/opinions/should-teens-be-allowed-to-obtain-birth-control-without-parental-

consent.