All the reasons we're saying #ThxBirthControl

Top 5 reasons to say #ThxBirthControl

1. Birth control does a lot more than prevent pregnancy.
2. People use birth control for all kinds of reasons, and every single one is valid.
3. Hormonal birth control can treat conditions like endometriosis, PMOS, and acne.
4. Some methods can make periods lighter, less painful, or disappear entirely.
5. Birth control is for anyone who wants it, no matter their gender identity, sexual orientation, or relationship status.

Birth control has been quietly doing so much more for so many people. People use it to prevent pregnancy, manage periods, ease gender dysphoria, and feel more at home in their bodies.

Thanks, Birth Control Day is a time to tell those stories. All of them. Hear about every method, every reason, every person who has ever felt their life get a little easier because of it. And every experience belongs in this conversation: like navigating side effects, finding the right fit, or feeling unheard by a provider. Being honest about the hard parts of birth control helps everyone find a better birth control for them.

#ThxBirthControl for giving us all the choices

Being a parent by choice means being able to decide if, when, and with whom you want to have a child. Ownership over this decision is one of the realest things birth control makes possible. Choosing when or if you want to be a parent shapes careers, relationships, finances, and futures. It lets people finish school, travel, build something, wait, or simply live their life without a pregnancy they’re not ready for.

#ThxBirthControl for the periods we didn’t have to suffer through

For a lot of people, periods aren’t just inconvenient. They’re debilitating. Cramps that knock you flat. Bleeding so heavy you can’t leave the house. Migraines timed perfectly to ruin your big event. Hormonal birth control like the pill, the patch, the ring, the shot, the hormonal IUD, and the implant can make periods lighter, shorter, less painful, or help you skip them completely. While some might view it as a positive side effect, for a lot of people, it’s the whole point.

#ThxBirthControl for helping manage the conditions nobody talks about enough

Endometriosis, PMOS, and PMDD are real, often underdiagnosed conditions that affect millions of people. Birth control is frequently one of the first and most effective tools for managing them.

• Endometriosis: When tissue that acts like the lining of the uterus grows outside it. Birth control can help quiet the chronic pain it causes.
• Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS, formerly called PCOS): A hormonal condition that can cause unpredictable periods, acne, and extra hair growth.
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): A severe form of PMS (premenstrual syndrome) that can seriously affect mood and daily life.

For people who spent years in pain or confusion before getting a diagnosis, birth control was often the thing that helped them manage these symptoms and gave them their life back.

#ThxBirthControl for gender-affirming care

Birth control isn’t just for people trying to prevent pregnancy. For some trans and nonbinary people, hormonal birth control plays an important role in gender-affirming care. It helps manage unwanted bleeding that can help you feel like you’re in the right body for you. It can also help grow breast tissue or soften facial features if that helps you feel better in your skin. Birth control is for everyone who needs it.

#ThxBirthControl for the peace of mind and the options

Not every benefit shows up on a lab report. Sometimes the thing birth control gives you is simply the ability to have sex without worry. To be present in your body, and not spend the two weeks after a hookup in a spiral of anxiety.

And #ThxBirthControl for having your back when you need to switch things up. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right fit. Some methods have side effects that just won’t work for you. That’s cool and valid. There are other hormonal birth control methods to step in when one doesn’t work, and there are nonhormonal options to try, too.

#ThxBirthControl for showing up in more places

You can grab pills, condoms, and EC over the counter, get a prescription through telehealth without leaving your couch, see a pharmacist who can prescribe in many states, and in many places, pick up a full year’s supply at once.

More ways to get birth control means more people can get the method that works for them.

#ThxBirthControl for whatever that means to you

What’s your story and what are you grateful for? Whether it’s lighter periods, clearer skin, a career you got to build, a trip you got to take, or just one less thing to worry about—your reason is valid and worth sharing.