“For at least two thousand years of European history until the late nineteenth century hysteria referred to a medical condition thought to be particular to women and caused by disturbances of the uterus” – wiki

As the screeching over the SCOTUS ruling on the Hobby Lobby case reached a fever pitch, I thought to myself how women on the left were going into hysterics even though nothing had changed from the day before. Which brought to mind that the term ” hysterics” was actually a term placed on women long ago and somehow connected to our reproductive inner workings.

Well, that was certainly on display yesterday,  wasn’t it?  If one only read tweets you would come to the belief women would never receive medical treatment.  For anything.  Ever.  Again.  Signs proclaiming “Government Stay out of my Body” and tweets shouting it was the worst day ever for women sprouted up before the justices could even get their robes off.  But, as a woman I just don’t see what was taken from us.

Women still have access to contraceptives today. Just like yesterday morning and just like ten years ago. Long before the Hobby Lobby case and long before the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was enacted.  And, Hobby Lobby is still offering its employees contraceptives just like they did before.  If the employee wanted an abortifacient last year, or the year before that, they would have had to pay for it themselves without the cost sharing that insurance provides.  Today it is no different.  There are still numerous contraceptive choices that the employer’s insurance plans cover just like they did yesterday, and last year, and the year before that.

These items were not taken from women.  Women can still get them and pay for them, just like before.  And just like before, if any employee of Hobby Lobby doesn’t like their insurance company they can go out and purchase another health care plan on their own without their company chipping in.

So please, stop with the histrionics. The pharmacies are still there. The doctor still writes out the prescription. You still have the same contraceptives as before.  Hobby Lobby’s 23,000 employees (and a few other companies who might benefit)  still have the choice of buying into the company plan and paying for abortifacients seperately like before or buying a plan from an insurance agent on their own.

I hope the women on the left have gotten a good night’s sleep and have calmed down.  Their uteruses seemed pretty disturbed yesterday. Although, I still don’t see why.

Of Note:  This is not the current definition of hysteria. You know that, right?

*  I don’t really like to go  Wikipedia for sourcing, but this page is really pretty good in describing the condition through its many forms throughout  history.      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hysteria