Letter: Why men should take birth control
Tuesday, September 30th, 2008
After reading Ross Stewart’s article “Top 9 Reasons I Won’t Take Male Birth Control," I came up with my own list of why he should.
8. Though condoms are certainly the most effective way of preventing HIV and STDs, they are only about 85 percent effective because of improper use. Oral contraception is 99.9 percent effective when used correctly.
7. Unless your roommates are deeply concerned with the inner workings of your reproductive system, I highly doubt they would be enthralled with how it feels when you ejaculate. And, though I am a female and lack the necessary equipment to store semen in my body, I simply have to assume that the climax feels the same whether your semen contains sperm or not.
6. Our society assumes that the personal and financial burden of purchasing contraception should always fall on the woman, and that's extremely offensive. Last time I checked, sex requiring birth control involves two people, which means both should be responsible for preventing pregnancy. Perhaps when male birth control gets over the stigma that is presently attached to it, it will be available at a lower cost through health clinics. Also, if purchasing a monthly pill is going to bankrupt you, you may want to consider the cost of raising a newborn.
5. It is irresponsible to think that just because you are not having a lot of sex, you shouldn’t take measures to be personally responsible in your sex life. Millions of women stay on the pill for years, decades even, regardless if they’re having “enough sex to warrant it."
4. This reason is so offensive that I literally don’t know where to begin. And if I didn’t have a word count, you can bet I would school you on how sexist it is to suggest that all women in politics on birth control are “harlots."
3. Women have been going on and off the pill for half a century, and there is no indication that prolonged use leads to sterility.
2. If you have any female friends left after this article, I would think that they would find it alluring that you are taking the initiative to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Why would you be carrying your birth control packet with you? It’s not a pack of gum. You can take it in the privacy of your own home at the same time every day. It takes a total of three to five seconds.
1. Considering most women find misogyny extremely unattractive, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about having a lot of sex.
—Courtney Kivett is a sophomore from Olathe.
Discussion
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Great article. The article it is referencing is not only ridiculous and ubsurd, it's offensive. Way to put some good reasoning and argument into this article!!
It looks as though you were trying to be offended. Yes it was a dumb article, but the best thing to do in that case is ignore it. It was meant to be a humorous list of GUY reasons. It wasn't really humorous, but that is beside the point.
Also in response to 2 of your points. Number 7 states that society assumes that women will purchase contraception. I don't remember the last time my girlfriend bought condoms and I have contributed to the expense of the pill before. Also, I would not be the pregnant one if contraception was not used and thus the pressure falls on the person who would have to bear the child.
Number 3 has you comparing apples and oranges. The pill for women does not have anything to do with creating sterility. It merely prevents an egg from becoming embedded. It does not stop egg production. We have no idea how decreasing a man's fertility to zero will affect him long term.
Don't jump to anger when it is not warranted.
This letter was extremely well-written and certainly not attacking someone's personal choices in regards to his own body, but rather the extremely sexiest and poorly presented overall argument, which could be clearly seen in any one of her nine points if actually read. And personally, I have never had someone offer to help with the cost of my birth control, nor have I ever heard of anyone else being made that same offer (not that it doesn't happen, just to point out that it certainly does not happen with every couple that has sex), and yet not only are condoms made free at almost every health facility, college campus, dorm, scholarship hall, night club, friend's house, high school, back pocket - just about anywhere you could even think to look, whereas the Pill is only offered to women at a low or no cost with proof of low income at a handful of facilities. I carry a condom in my person and keep them in my bedroom, as do most sexually active women I know. As far as sterility goes, there are a number of contraceptives that women use that could have an effect on a woman's fertility later in their life, including the Pill. A little research could go a long way in your case, "Empire Lucas."
The original article may have been trying to be humorous, but it only came off as incredibly offensive. Putting aside the comments about "harlots" and preferring to be lazy and sit back while the woman takes her daily concraceptive, it's offensive to men that might care enough about the women with whom they are intimate to take on the same daily responsibility they do, rather than buying condoms every few weeks to strap on moments before intercourse.
Oh, and I'll believe that Stewart's roommate will give him a hard time about "shooting blanks" the day my roommates give me a hard time about not getting my period because of a Depo shot.
"Janell22" I was responding to number 3 in the letter which states that the pill has had no effect on fertility. Maybe it is the letter writer who needs to do more research. My statement about the workings of the Pill is factually correct.
Also "society" is not merely college students. I don't live in a dorm and I don't trust inexpensive condoms so I choose to buy them. Just as a woman would choose to go on the Pill. If it is for medical reasons I will relent on this point, otherwise it is a personal choice. I'm sorry that health insurance doesn't pay for it, but that is another issue.
I'm sorry to any women who were offended by the article.
Most women find misogyny extremely unattractive. Most women also find it extremely difficult to spell. How's that for misogyny?
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