I suspect it’s a misunderstanding of cases in which hormonal birth control pills are prescribed to young teenagers to treat another medical problem (endometriosis, severe acne, severe menstrual cramps, etc.) My girlfriend in high school suffered from undiagnosed endometriosis, and about 3 days of each month was in debilitating agony. She didn’t know the cause, but she knew that birth control pills were a common treatment for her sort of severe pain. However, her parents were religious conservatives who would never even consider letting her be on pills. When she moved out at 18 and got a diagnosis and access to the pill, it changed her life.
So when I think of conservatives furious about 13-year-olds getting on birth control, I have to wonder if they’re misunderstanding a situation in which it’s used to treat a teenager. I think about her–still a good friend–and it’s a little bit maddening.