$9.26, $34.99, $49.99 and $59.99 — these prices capture the range of how much it costs to purchase Plan B at the stores closest to Grounds. Plan B, also known as the morning-after pill, is an emergency contraceptive that prevents pregnancy after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. Although it is the most effective form of birth control, the financial inaccessibility of high prices, in addition to the stigma of identifying oneself to purchase it, push some students away from this resource. Today, however, you can pick up this product from Student Health and Wellness for free and with anonymity, thanks to the thoughtful work of Student Council.
Recently, the Student Council Safety and Wellness agency launched a pilot program offering free Plan B to students, following its other reproductive health initiatives like the spring 2025 free STI testing program. Reproductive health importantly spans from contraception, to sexual health and preventive testing, to abortion care and maternal health. And, similar to the previous program’s success with students, this project shows immense promise for the meaningful removal of barriers to access — barriers which both the Student Council and the U.Va. Health system recognize in supporting reproductive health in the Commonwealth, against all national attacks on contraceptive and abortion access. In light of continuing national and regional efforts to restrict reproductive rights of women, Student Council and U.Va. Health must continue to collaborate on ensuring safe and reliable access to reproductive health care.
One of the disconcerting throughlines of the Trump administration has been continuous attempts at the dismantling of reproductive rights and infrastructure. Attacks against access to reproductive services at a national scale have come in a litany of forms including one Executive Order that revoked previous individual protective rights for access to reproductive health care services and travel for abortion. Another attack consisted of a one-year provision to block Planned Parenthood affiliates who provide abortion services from receiving federal Medicaid funding. In effect, this turbulent period for reproductive rights in which our University operates provides ample concern for the affordability and accessibility of reproductive resources. By providing resources like Plan B for free, a necessary infrastructure has been established for student safety that stands in direct opposition to the nationwide erosion of healthcare access.
By making Plan B free and easily accessible, Student Council reinforces a broader commitment to safeguarding reproductive autonomy. Student Council has played a commendable role in supporting the reproductive health of the student body. However, a challenging nuance for such an initiative is its scope — Student Council is effectively limited to services for students. Where such an agency cannot reach out into the larger Charlottesville or Virginia community to support reproductive healthcare, U.Va. Health plays a vital role in continuing essential reproductive health services — especially against tumult and national backlash.
Acknowledging its regional importance as the only state in Appalachia without major challenges to reproductive health and autonomy, U.Va. Health commits its wealth of expertise to the great benefit of communities in Virginia and beyond. Its sheer scale provides midwives, contraceptive counseling, sexual health testing and many more resources — amid infrastructural or state-wide obstacles, U.Va. Health welcomes any patient to receive its services. Therefore, U.Va. Health’s broad system of women’s healthcare services acts as a beacon for women beyond the city limits of Charlottesville, safely providing care to those who need it against a regional dearth of reproductive health care services.
It is heartening to see the University community recognize a serious need for access to reproductive health resources from both ends — a notable Student Council initiative which carefully analyzes the obstacles in place for students in search of Plan B, and an unwavering commitment on behalf of U.Va. Health to reproductive wellness. These measures defy national pressures, standing tall against the repressions of presidential administrations or state policymakers to protect women’s bodily autonomy and reproductive choices. To inhabit a University which proudly allows these options — options which acknowledge truly the right for women to choose without barriers — is to be a part of a community that refuses to let those rights be taken away.
The Cavalier Daily Editorial Board is composed of the Executive Editor, the Editor-in-Chief, the two Opinion Editors, the two Senior Associates and an Opinion Columnist. The board can be reached at eb@cavalierdaily.com.
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