There is a non-hormonal pill that could soon become another option of birth control for men.
As stated by the American Chemical Society, “Currently, men have only two effective options for birth control: male condoms and a vasectomy. However, condoms are single-use only and are prone to failure. In contrast, vasectomy — a surgical procedure — is considered a permanent form of male sterilization. Although vasectomies can sometimes be reversed, the reversal surgery is expensive and not always
successful. Therefore, men need an effective, long-lasting, yet reversible, contraceptive similar to
the birth control pill for women.” Considering these points, I did a virtual poll online, asking individuals the following questions:

For men I asked ╶
1. “Would you take a contraceptive pill if it became approved? Why or why not?”

For women, I asked ╶
2. “Would you want your male partner to take a contraceptive pill? Why or why
not?”

With the data collected from the male population that was studied, I came to the conclusion that 72% would take the pill, leaving the other 28% against it. The reasons for their decisions are listed below:

• No – “No need for me – waiting till marriage anyways.”
• No – “I am confident in the withdrawal method.”
• No – “I feel like birth control messes with people emotionally, I’d rather just use
• condoms.”
• Yes – “I feel it would just be easier! It would basically be like taking another vitamin, lol.”
• Yes – “Not looking on having kids at the moment.”
• Yes – “If you have a stable relationship and everything, I guess it’s a good anti-conception
• method”
• Yes – “Because women can have 1 child in 9 months, while men can have hundreds in 9
• months.”

It seems like most of the reasons for answering “No” are due to abstinence, not wanting to deal with
hormonal fluctuations, or feeling like it is not the man’s place to take the birth control pill. Because of
the data collected, it seems like some men are misled when it comes to contraceptives and their
purpose. They would also prefer that women suffer through emotional and hormonal
fluctuations, because that is the norm in our society.

With the data collected from the female population of the group studied, 100% would want their
male partner to take birth control. The reasons for their decisions are listed below:

● Yes – “I do not want to deal with kids.”
● Yes – “So they can begin to understand that birth control really does mess with you.”
● Yes – “Because it is unfair. Women should not have to unequally deal with all of the
responsibilities of preventing a child, and the repercussions of accidentally getting
pregnant when they are not the only ones at fault.”
● Yes – “So they can see how many things can affect our bodies instead of clowning us.”
● Yes – “Because it will relieve stress from me.”
● Yes – “I don’t want to be the only one responsible if I were to get pregnant.”

In conclusion, many women want men to understand what they have to go through using
contraceptive methods. The female group that answered wanted males to also take equal
responsibility in preventing a pregnancy.

Although men do not have menstrual cycles like women, they tend to go through hormonal shifts and cycles similar to those endured by women. Their hormones go through highs and lows, and can
create systems that are very similar to Premenstrual Syndrome, or commonly known as PMS.
Some call it the “Man Period”, or “Irritable Male Syndrome”. With that being said, men are
similar when it comes to things like hormones. After doing this research, I believe that many
men are not in favor of this idea because they do not want to have to deal with the side effects of
birth control, and would rather just let women deal with it. It is evident that men are open to the idea, but most of the time, they do not want to use hormonal based contraceptives because they do not want to “deal with it” or have it possibly change them.

What’s your opinion on the topic? Comment below!