Posted by Dave on 10/11/06 at 01:28:40 pm
Categories: Feminism

Myste has a good post on the new possibilities of male birth control.

Birth control is something that has almost always fallen to the woman to be responsible for in any sexual relationship. Yet it is obvious that males are also responsible for any consequences that could come via sex. But up to this point the only thing that they have been responsible for is a condom.

The introduction of a form of male birth control is exciting both as a husband as a feminist. As a husband, I hate that my wife is the only one responsible for preventing a pregnancy. It does not seem quite fair. I have also seen how different hormones that my wife receives via birth control impacts her - the way she feels, acts, etc. In turn, I would love to have the opportunity to take those negative effects away.

Further, as a feminist, the male birth control pill is essential to the further empowerment of women, adding responsibility to the male where there has been little before.

One more possibility to consider. There are some who believe that "the pill" (the female birth control pill) may actually cause an abortion in some cases. I am not convinced about this argument, as the studies are relatively vague in their evidence. But the male birth control pill would take away this possibility of "killing life."

So I believe that the male birth control pill is an exciting development, and one that I will seriously consider taking.

Myste asked this question on her blog, so I will to:

so where do the male readers of this blog weigh in. would you consider taking male birth control? if you have a female partner does she take hormonal birth control? how would you implement this in your family (he takes it, she takes it, both take it, other)?

For me, as I mentioned above, my wife does take hormonal birth control. I would very much consider taking the male version of the pill, though I am not sure how we would implement this. Maybe both? Or maybe just me? I am not sure...

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