As a woman I support the men’s decision to stop receiving the male contraceptive shot
It’s a personal choice
The male contraceptive shot was recently developed, marking a huge breakthrough for birth control equality. Despite being 96% effective, the study was terminated when several men dropped out of the study after experiencing negative side effects.
As a feminist, I absolutely support the idea that the responsibility of pregnancy prevention should be on both parties involved, and the development of this shot is an enormous step toward that equality.
True feminism is about equality for all people, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, or anything else. The backlash the men received for making the personal decision to drop out of the study implies that men are the weaker sex, incapable of dealing with the side effects that many women have experienced for years.
An article published by USA Today stated that men “can’t handle” the negative symptoms they were experiencing as a result of being on the shot. This idea is completely unfair, and falls directly into traditional gender stereotypes, where men must suffer in silence in order to preserve their masculinity. Like women, men should be able to decide what goes into their bodies, rather than suffering in silence for fear of public criticism.
Many women “can’t handle” the effects of certain birth controls as well, which is why so many women have to try several types of birth control before finding what is right for them. The difference is that women have an abundance of options to experiment with what birth controls are right for them, while men do not yet have this option. If I were involved in a study that required me to inject something into my body that led me to experience depression or physical pain, I would want to drop out, too.
Further, I do not want to be on the shot myself. I can barely commit to getting my hair cut regularly, so the pressure of making the appointments for the shot every few months would stress me out to no end, and I don’t like the idea of an added hormone being in my body for several months at a time. With the pill, it’s a daily dose, and I know that if I start experiencing negative symptoms, I can stop at any time. It’s a little more difficult to stop something when it’s in your system for several months.
The male shot is just one type of contraceptive. If I am able to switch the contraceptive I am on without a public backlash, then men should be able to switch as well. If the correct contraceptive method has not yet been developed for an individual, that individual should not be blamed, male or female. Science just has not caught up to that yet, but the development of the male shot is a huge step towards reaching that point.
Instead of being pissed that men are exercising their right to choose what goes into their own bodies, appreciate that scientists are making a conscious effort to fight for equality in birth control methods. Appreciate that the men involved in this study stepped up to the plate and made a proactive effort to reach equality in the responsibilities of contraceptives.