Why Do Politicians Care So Much About My Cervix?

So, as a woman, I know all about my cervix. Well, I mean, I know that's it's there, and I know that I have one, and I know what it does. I also know that there is now a vaccine available to help prevent cervical cancer. Which, let's face it, is pretty huge considering that it's one of the few cancers that we know that we can now prevent, simply by getting a series of three vaccinations.

But, why are politicians talking about my cervix? It's not just my cervix, either. They're talking about your cervix, too. And your daughter's cervix. Yes, that's right, they care very deeply about your daughter's cervix. This all came about when Texas Governor Rick Perry presented himself as the candidate who is super concerned about cancer in the recent Republican presidential debates. You see, in Texas, it's mandated that all girls receive the three shot HPV vaccine before they enter 6th grade. Though later it was revealed that his former chief of staff is a lobbyist for the vaccine's manufacturer.

Of course, Perry saying that was an open window for Michelle Bachmann (the Minnesota congresswoman) to step up with her opinion on the topic. Bachmann claims that girls everywhere should be protected from a vaccine which she says is unsafe and only being peddled because of political favoritism.

Now, as a woman, I have a lot to say on this topic. Obviously, this vaccine (which has only been around since 2006) wasn't around when I was 11. If it had been mandated that I receive it, my parents probably wouldn't have asked any questions and just had me vaccinated. But, back then, that's what parents did. There wasn't the worry that vaccinations could cause problems that we have now.

I can understand why parents would be concerned about having to vaccinate their daughters against this very adult disease (HPV is, in fact, a sexually transmitted disease, and is known to cause cervical cancer) at such a young age. However, the fact of the matter is that kids are becoming sexually active younger and younger these days, and what's another vaccination going to hurt? We already have to vaccinate kids against meningitis, hepatitis, measles, mumps, and chicken pox. Why not throw HPV/cervical cancer into the mix?

Another question is: why is this even a political issue? There are far more politically relevant things that politicians could be debating about. Why is my cervix a topic for debate? Why is your daughter's cervix being talked about in a public platform?