4 - Contraceptive Access and Religious Liberty

Summary

Conflicts over contraception and religious liberty can seem intractable. Both sides make claims of deeply personal rights—believers’ right to religious exercise and consumers’ right to access contraceptives—in a way that suggests one must lose for the other to win. Yet actual facts in court show religious liberty can be respected without creating any threat to healthcare for anyone. People on all sides view contraception as deeply important. Forcing religious pharmacists to distribute contraceptives will not increase supply of contraceptives—it decreases the supply of pharmacies and pharmacists. The Little Sisters of the Poor’s litigation demonstrates that broad contraceptive access and religious liberty can be respected simultaneously. Healthcare is not improved by demanding one moral orthodoxy from all who provide services. We need not agree about contraception’s morality to agree on solutions that protect everyone’s rights. We are best served by embracing pluralism and welcoming the contributions of many people, including those with minority religious beliefs. The contraceptive cases demonstrate how easy it is to get that balance right, and how costly it is to get it wrong.