Like all women, Asian and Pacific Islander (API) women have sex. However differences in language and culture discourage many API women and girls from fulfilling their reproductive health care needs, including timely access to Plan B. For example, many young API women and girls are uncomfortable discussing issues related to their sexual health with their families or health care providers. As a result, many API women and girls have a limited understanding about their bodies and their reproductive health care choices, including emergency contraception. A study conducted in California found that 67% of South and Southeast Asian women aged 18 to 44 had no knowledge of EC.

Language differences also create barriers to access. Despite legal requirements and the capacity to do so, many pharmacies do not provide translated materials. This is problematic because individuals who require interpreters already receive fewer preventative services and often leave medical appointments without truly understanding their prescriptions. In one study, researchers concluded that language barriers exacerbated misconceptions that Vietnamese American women had about birth control pills, and prevented them from receiving accurate information about the range of contraceptive options.

These patterns are troubling because they suggest that API women are already undereducated and underserved when it comes to their reproductive health. Thus, making Plan B available over-the-counter is not enough to make EC a viable option for many API women. In addition, purchasing Plan B requires a showing of identification for proof of age. Although the ID requirement sounds innocent enough, many immigrant women do not have government-issued identification and would therefore have to obtain a prescription to access Plan B. Except if you’re Canadian. Seriously. The Drug Enforcement Administration recently published a list of acceptable forms of ID to purchase cold medicines that also have an 18 and over age requirement. Many pharmacies have adopted this list as a guideline for monitoring the adult sale of Plan B. Notably, a “driver’s license issued by a Canadian government authority” is the only foreign driver’s license listed as an acceptable form of ID. The DEA’s decision to recognize drivers’ licenses from Canada and not from other countries unfairly creates barriers for certain groups of immigrants and not for others.

We have much to celebrate on the one year anniversary of the FDA’s approval of Plan B. But it’s clear that there’s also a lot of outreach and advocacy that needs to be done to make Plan B truly accessible to all women and girls.

To learn more about NAPAWF or the range of reproductive justice issues affecting API women, please visit us at www.napawf.org.

Priscilla Huang is the Policy and Programs Director at the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF). NAPAWF works to advance social justice and human rights for APA women and girls, and is the only national multi-issue women of color organization in the country.