The male contraceptive pill

[Chicken bones]

An article on daily mail (yes, I know) about the new male contraceptive pill. Apparently, according to this expert MRA Paul Elam, 'the arrival of a male pill would mark the first time in history that men will be empowered to see themselves as near-full participants in reproductive choices,' he says. 'And it will force wider culture to see them in the same light too.'

 

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2519 ... z2mkENlJk9

 

Oh woe is men, and how us powerful women have ALWAYS controlled their sperm and legacies!

[gezykah]

Shouldn't everything he believes about women be the best reason to use condoms? I realized his head was in a fantasy world when he went on about the limitless no-strings sex men will be able to have when a male birth control pill hits the market but unplanned pregnancies aren't the only thing to worry about.

[eohiken]

But, if he uses a condom, it could be sperm-jacked. And it would make his boner sad - misandry!

[lilah]

I have had several arguements with mrassholes about this and they like to use the argument that the rare time a women lies about birth control in order have a baby is something that happens all the time and is a reason women are all evil. When I've tried to argue that they can use condoms or get a vasectomy or have non procreative forms of sex they just keep whining. Inevitably they do'nt want to acknowledge that pregnancy is always a potential outcome of sex. They just want an excuse to why they aren't having sex with women that is their choice of rejecting women

[Ariel]

I have had several arguements with mrassholes about this and they like to use the argument that the rare time a women lies about birth control in order have a baby is something that happens all the time and is a reason women are all evil. When I've tried to argue that they can use condoms or get a vasectomy or have non procreative forms of sex they just keep whining. Inevitably they do'nt want to acknowledge that pregnancy is always a potential outcome of sex. They just want an excuse to why they aren't having sex with women that is their choice of rejecting women

I wouldn't trust a man to say he's on the pill, just like if I were a man I wouldn't trust a woman to say she's on the pill. It's not that I think all men/women lie, it's that I don't want to take a risk like that. Common sense.

[lilah]

I would trust my husband to take the pill if that was an option. But that's after years of building trust.

I think the broader issue is that MRA's try to argue that women use sex to trap men into having unwanted children. They don't want to acknowledge that pregnancy is also part of the risk you take when you have (hetero, procreative) sex. But if their partner get's pregnant it was that dumb evil bitch's fault. I don't know if a male pill would change that argument up that much.

[Terrie]

I'm all for people, men and women, taking control of their reproductive choices, so I think the pill is a great thing. And I suspect that most rational people will see it the same way. But MRAs are rarely rational, so I point and laugh at them.

[DGayle]

One of my best friends got pregnant by using the sperm from her boyfriend's condoms. (They're still together because the boyfriend doesn't know.) Since those things can't be flushed, a guy's fucked when a woman uses the sperm. And one of her other best friends stopped taking the pill because she thought a baby would make her marriage better. (There's outright abuse, but CPS won't step in yet since only the mom is getting hit.) It isn't common, but it happens. Men poking holes in condoms happen too. People of both binary genders can be assholes. Let's not protect the women or the men who do these things and make us all look bad. But let's also not make it sound like half the babies born are because of fucked-up people tricking the other.

Now. I think it's a great thing that men may soon have a pill. They can use a pill when they don't want babies. Women can use a pill when babies aren't wanted. A condom can be used as additional protection, and against STDs. Neither partner would have to hope the other's telling the truth when both have the same power. Right now a man's control is condoms, but condoms are a lot less reliable than the pill. Having each person be responsible for themselves is a much greater idea than keeping it on women. I'm all in favor of enabling people to have equal control, and a pill is a lot more control.

[Lucygoosey]

A male contraceptive pill will be a game changer, and I think it's great that men will have just as much control as women over their fertility. I consider myself a feminist, and I think the fact that men will be held as accountable for birth control means that they can no longer automatically claim that they were duped or whine "woe is me, I have to pay child support" when a women with whom they've had sex becomes pregnant.

It will also protect men from predators. I despise women who spermjack or lie to men to coerce them into marriage or child support. Fewer kids brought into the world for the wrong reasons. It will also force women attractive who are considering becoming golddiggers by having rich men's illegitimate babies to perhaps find another way to enrich themselves-like getting a better education and steady job.

[ADoyle90815]

A male contraceptive pill will be a game changer, and I think it's great that men will have just as much control as women over their fertility. I consider myself a feminist, and I think the fact that men will be held as accountable for birth control means that they can no longer automatically claim that they were duped or whine "woe is me, I have to pay child support" when a women with whom they've had sex becomes pregnant.

It will also protect men from predators. I despise women who spermjack or lie to men to coerce them into marriage or child support. Fewer kids brought into the world for the wrong reasons. It will also force women attractive who are considering becoming golddiggers by having rich men's illegitimate babies to perhaps find another way to enrich themselves-like getting a better education and steady job.

I think it's going to be great when there's a male birth control pill, as it means that men will have even more control over their fertility. If it's like the female pill, once he goes off it, his fertility would possibly return when he's ready to help raise children, unlike a vasectomy which is considered permanent.

[MalteseBaby]

I'm all for it, but will the average man be? They may say so before they've taken it, but how compliant will men be in the long run?

Married or committed men are the most likely to use the pill as directed, IMO.

A better option, IMO, would be an implantable hormonal device similar to Norplant ( and other brands for women).

No forgetting, not much effort past the initial office visit. The only thing would be keeping up with the expiration date. Have it removed if the couple decides to have children sooner, like women do.

As always, condoms and spermicide used in tandem provide B/C plus prevention of most STIs. We all know it, but I'd like to see packaging of the two products together. His and hers products sold together seems to be popular with several intimacy- oriented companies now. ( J and 's KY combosJ, Trojan products, etc.)

[defraudingjezebel]

I'm all for it, but will the average man be? They may say so before they've taken it, but how compliant will men be in the long run?

Married or committed men are the most likely to use the pill as directed, IMO.

A better option, IMO, would be an implantable hormonal device similar to Norplant ( and other brands for women).

No forgetting, not much effort past the initial office visit. The only thing would be keeping up with the expiration date. Have it removed if the couple decides to have children sooner, like women do.

As always, condoms and spermicide used in tandem provide B/C plus prevention of most STIs. We all know it, but I'd like to see packaging of the two products together. His and hers products sold together seems to be popular with several intimacy- oriented companies now. ( J and 's KY combosJ, Trojan products, etc.)

Call me pessimistic, but if/when (hopefully "when") this pill comes out, I have the feeling that it will take a while to catch on. The media will trump up the side effects and emphasize the risks involved. I bet a lot of men would refrain from taking it at first because they'd be afraid of the long-term effects of it on their fertility or ability to... ahem... "perform." But maybe I'm just being a negative Nancy. I can't help myself!

[Minerva]

My experience in conversations about the male pill (and about male contraceptives in general) is that people make a big fucking deal about the side effects as though birth control pills, IUDs, Implanon and Depo don't all have side effects that are comparable or worse.

A male pill will be an advantage for both penis-havers who can finally rely on themselves to stay baby-free, and for uterus-havers who will no longer have to bear the burden of preventing pregnancy. The lack of male birth control has sucked for everyone, but don't expect MRAs to admit that. I'm curious to see how MRAs will approach abortion rights when "men should have reproductive rights, too" is no longer an argument.

I don't think there's much to the idea that men won't be responsible about taking their pills since they won't have to deal with pregnancy. I'm not that scared of getting pregnant since I know no one can make me become a parent if I don't want to. If I had a penis, I'd be scared shitless of the lack of control that comes from getting someone else pregnant.

[LadyBlue]

A better option, IMO, would be an implantable hormonal device similar to Norplant ( and other brands for women).

No forgetting, not much effort past the initial office visit. The only thing would be keeping up with the expiration date. Have it removed if the couple decides to have children sooner, like women do.

There already is something like that in use in India. Some of the men who have it have done so successfully for over 10 years. It's called RISUG there. A near identical formula is currently being tested in the US under the name Vasalgel. They're hoping for human trials next year (currently working on baboon trials), but it's basically being crowd-funded at this point. It's a really interesting idea, it's injected into the vas deferens in a quick office procedure and kills all sperm that pass through it. It's supposed to last for 10 years, but may actually last longer, and is easily flushed out in another office procedure, after which fertility returns quickly.

Supposedly there aren't any side effects, either, but I'm sure MRA's will find something to complain about.

[16strong]

I would like to point out that in addition to the many great points made above, some women are incredibly fertile and get pregnant even while on the pill. For couples that are tired of using condoms, this could very well be an answer to their problem. As for compliance, the same argument can be made about women. How many have skipped a day or two of pills and gotten pregnant as a result? Saying men will be non-compliant is like saying "Har-har! Stupid careless, forgetful men! They can never be trusted to do anything right!" How fair or reasonable is that? I think the male pill is awesome. Men finally have equal say in the department of baby-making.

[Talitha Cumi]

There already is something like that in use in India. Some of the men who have it have done so successfully for over 10 years. It's called RISUG there. A near identical formula is currently being tested in the US under the name Vasalgel. They're hoping for human trials next year (currently working on baboon trials), but it's basically being crowd-funded at this point. It's a really interesting idea, it's injected into the vas deferens in a quick office procedure and kills all sperm that pass through it. It's supposed to last for 10 years, but may actually last longer, and is easily flushed out in another office procedure, after which fertility returns quickly.

Supposedly there aren't any side effects, either, but I'm sure MRA's will find something to complain about.

The excuse for not doing that will be "I'm not letting someone stick a needle into my junk! Women don't have to do that! Waaaaah misandry!"

[BlondeAgent007]

I think its great that there will be male birth control. I do know more than one person who have been in relationships where the woman wanted a pregnancy to sustain a relationship. Since it is not their body, men do not have the right to choose the outcome of an unwanted pregnancy. At least now they are not forced to rely on condoms (which can be faulty) and/or their partners word that they are on birth control to not have kids they may not want or are not prepared for mentally or financially.

[pennsatuckey]

I would like to point out that in addition to the many great points made above, some women are incredibly fertile and get pregnant even while on the pill. For couples that are tired of using condoms, this could very well be an answer to their problem. As for compliance, the same argument can be made about women. How many have skipped a day or two of pills and gotten pregnant as a result? Saying men will be non-compliant is like saying "Har-har! Stupid careless, forgetful men! They can never be trusted to do anything right!" How fair or reasonable is that? I think the male pill is awesome. Men finally have equal say in the department of baby-making.

Male birth control would likely be a lot more environmentally friendly than using and disposing of condoms.

However, a few guys I've talked to about this are surprisingly whiny about it. "I don't wanna take a pill every day"

-cue hollow laughter from women who use oral contraceptives consistently-

I'm fortunate that my partner is excited about the prospect of male BC.

[Karma]

While I think that the idea of a male pill is great for men who want to control their fertility (and I know of at least one couple where the wife deliberately stopped taking the pill to have two kids - wouldn't you think the husband would have taken control and used condoms after the first "accident"), I personally couldn't relax relying on my husband to take a pill each day. The implications of him forgetting are just too enormous, no matter how much I trust him. Lucky for me after we finished our family he was happy to have the snip. I made sure I took that little jar to be tested before trusting it though!

[Deist woman]

While I think that the idea of a male pill is great for men who want to control their fertility (and I know of at least one couple where the wife deliberately stopped taking the pill to have two kids - wouldn't you think the husband would have taken control and used condoms after the first "accident"), I personally couldn't relax relying on my husband to take a pill each day. The implications of him forgetting are just too enormous, no matter how much I trust him. Lucky for me after we finished our family he was happy to have the snip. I made sure I took that little jar to be tested before trusting it though!

That is exactly the gut feeling I have when I hear about a male birth control pill. My husband is a very smart and conscientious man.....except when it comes to taking medications properly. I'd want the pill packet taped to the headboard of the bed, so I could monitor it. :mrgreen: As for, if I were single and dating, trusting the man to do something to use the pill as directed to keep ME from getting pregnant.........no.

[PregnantPornStar]

I think the positive is that it gives couples more choices. There could be plenty of reasons why a couple, even married couple, wants to use birth control, not condoms, but the female could have issues with birth control herself. Or whatever reason it is opted that the female doesn't take it.

If a guy is worried about being tricked, then he needs to use condoms or if he doesn't trust that said female isn't tampering with condoms, he can be fully responsible of all handling of condoms. If there are huge trust issues, then time to move on.

If you are having casual sex, make it female, condoms are probably a fantastic idea, no matter who is using birth control.

As far as trusting a husband, I can see that...some people aren't goo at remembering things like that. I know I have many friends who use other forms of b/c for that very reason.