Ashley Tisdale wants to talk about birth control. The actress and pop singer has teamed up with Allergan for a campaign called “Women Who Know,” intended to inspire women to take charge of their contraceptive decisions. Allergan is the maker of the birth control pill 1 Lo Loestrin® Fe.
“I was excited to team up with Allergan on the Women Who Know campaign because I really want to inspire women to take control of their reproductive health,” Tisdale tells Refinery29. “I really want people to feel comfortable to have those discussions with their healthcare providers, because not everything is right for everyone.”
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People want to prevent pregnancy for different reasons, she adds. “Whether you’re traveling or working or you’re getting your education or you’re a mom who’s not ready to expand your family yet, there are options.” The most important thing, Tisdale says, is to ask questions and educate yourself. “I am very much into meeting with my doctor. I love doctors. I ask a lot of questions,” she says. “Then I feel like the fear of anything is wiped out, because you asked and now you know.” As part of the campaign, Tisdale will appear in educational videos with healthcare providers.
While there can be a lot of stigma associated with talking about sexual health, Tisdale says that it’s gotten easier for her to discuss over time. “As I've gotten older, I’ve learned to be more comfortable,” she says. “I’m very comfortable with my body, and I hope to inspire other women to be comfortable, too.” As for where this comfort with discussing sexual health comes from? “Having an older sister definitely helps!” she says.
Along with reproductive health, Tisdale has recently been opening up about mental health. Her album Symptoms, released this May, was inspired by her experience with depression and anxiety. With titles like “Insomnia” and “Under Pressure,” the songs reference Tisdale's experiences yet remain decidedly upbeat. “When I’m talking about something deep and serious, my goal is to flip it and try to take the heaviness out of the subject to make it more relatable,” she explains. “If I can make people feel less alone, then that’s me doing my job.”
Tisdale is also a longtime astrology fan who also collects crystals. “I love what crystals look like, and I do think they hold certain energies,” she says. “I am a very spiritual, astrology-type person. I will legit read Susan Miller and be like, ‘This is happening!’” She adds, “You’ve got one body, and I love to do what I can to make myself the best I can be, whether that’s meditation or crystals or learning what the best options are in contraception — all of that ties into each other.”