In response to Marianne Gilliam’s letter (Herald, July 18) regarding women’s rights to insurance coverage of legally prescribed medications, there are a couple of points to make. First, employers don’t “pay” for contraception medication any more than they pay for Gilliam’s thyroid pills. They pay into an insurance pool to cover all of their employees, male and female. Does Gilliam think she is paying for someone’s Viagra?

Perhaps her employer might cherry-pick every medication an employee is allowed to access under the insurance coverage. They might choose to disallow coverage of drugs such as penicillin or other antibiotics because they can be prescribed for – gasp – STDs. What if they believe that things like gluttony are so sinful that the employer will not cover drugs for diabetes, hypertension or weight loss?

How would Gilliam feel if she were suddenly told by her employer that her thyroid pills would no longer be covered under her insurance policy. She could still access it but would have to pay full price for the privilege. Her male colleague, however, would have full coverage to any and all medications he might be prescribed.

Contraceptives are a gender-specific legal medication that have been singled out as “sinful” but are prescribed for problems other than birth control. Is it the right of the employer to know the reason for every prescription that an employee might have? Does Gilliam not realize the inherent imbalance in this misogynistic viewpoint?

Ladies, and the gents who love them, please use your votes this fall! I will not forget that GOP Senate candidate Rep. Cory Gardner supports the personhood amendment that would have effectively decreed women’s rights to their own reproductive choices null and void once they became pregnant. They would become nothing more than state-mandated human incubators.

Don’t let the clock be turned back on women’s rights! Use your vote!

Diana Badeaux

Durango