- Share This Post
- submit
- 8
-
Sparkle (0)
This month Time reported that "the pharmaceutical industry decided there wasn't enough of a market to make male hormonal contraceptives worthwhile." (h/t Pandagon) This is one of the more annoyingly ridiculous things I've read this month. Men, watch out for flying pigs, because Big Pharma doesn't want your money.
The "joke," of course, is what woman would trust a man with her birth control - even her husband or long-term lover? After all, he misses one pill, she gets an unwanted pregnancy, which means either an abortion or nine pregnant months - neither of which is better than simply not getting pregnant if that was the goal. I absolutely believe that most women who want to avoid pregnancy will stay on their chosen method of birth control even if there's a male birth control option.
I also think that many men would enthusiastically embrace the opportunity to take more control of their own reproductive options, thereby potentially doubling the birth control market. Because (sensitive area surgery aside) men only have the condom. Because condoms sometimes break or slip off. And because, my friends, you can’t actually have too much birth control.
I’ve had an IUD for years now, and I haven’t had sex even one time without a condom. Of course, that’s partially because of sexual health, but it’s also because it’s added birth control confidence for both of us. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve got faith in my IUD. I just *really* don’t want to get pregnant right now.
And, I’ve met more than one man who is completely paranoid about getting a woman pregnant, occasionally to the extent that it effects their sexual relations. One time seemed like a unique paranoia, but in the great land of singles called Los Angeles, I've come across it more than once. It seemed a little neurotic to me - after all, I've got it totally covered - but then I really thought about it.
As a woman, I cannot imagine a condom being the only thing between me and a pregnancy. There’s always been the pill. And now, even better for me, the IUD.
Plus a condom.
My eggs have got a closed drawbridge and a copper-tinged moat, baby.
When I think about birth control, I have to admit, I would be completely uncomfortable leaving it to condoms alone. Heck, when I was on the pill, I was constantly buying pregnancy tests because it made me skip my period. I love my IUD, because if a condom breaks or slips off, I'm not going to run around town for emergency contraception - the IUD's got my back... or my uterus... or something.
The fact is, that for many of us, birth control isn't a couples thing, it's an individual thing. And there's good reason to believe that many, many men would would welcome monthly birth control injections, a cream, or a twice-a-year synthetic implant - the options discussed in the Time article which also addresses the remaining scientific hurdles to birth control for men.
I can't help but wonder - Will men get increased birth control options in my lifetime? For their sakes, I most certainly hope so.
~
The blogosphere speaks:
Guys on the Pill - Echidne of the Snakes wonders if the market is there or not.
The Pill-grimage - from Fortyfide on BlogHer, a tale of lost birth control pills and a husband on a quest.
Ode to Birth Control - from Ali at Sex. Justice. Change. (a blog by Planned Parenthood of the Rochester/Syracuse Region) who points to malecontraceptives.org if you'd like more information on developing male birth control options.
~
Contributing editor Liz Rizzo also blogs at Everyday Goddess.
