Would men take a birth control pill?

That's the 2nd most important question in the development/marketing of hormonal contraception for men. The first most important question is would women trust them to? This week in The Stranger, these two questions are examined in a rather light-hearted manner by Cienna Hahn.

I think the whole question of whether or not men would take a birth control pill is laughable. Some wouldn't, but plenty would. Sure, there are men that think that contraception is women's business. But that has as much to do with the fact that all boring and dirty work gets pushed onto women as the fact that women are the ones who have to deal with the actual pregnancy. That men have grown more interested in contraception reflects a number of shifts in thinking that have occured recently. One is the spread of HIV has caused men to learn to carry condoms if they want to get laid at all; by practicing contraception, they have learned to think about it. Another is that contraception has been repeatedly linked to the concept of personal control and men are beginning to think that it would be wise to wield some control over what happens to their sperm, a common sense position if you think about it.

But most importantly, the sexual double standard is beginning to buckle. Sexual roles have been so rigid for so long that sex has almost an air of role-playing about it. Men's role is to push for the unbridled lust--women are the gatekeepers. Under that model of sexual relations, taking any responsibility at all for the results of sex was downright emasculating. Women took control of contraception for the same reason that they "put the brakes on", because their role was to treat sex like a responsibility and their sexuality as a gift doled out for a man's good behavior. Now we are growing accustomed to the idea that women may want to have sex for the same reasons that men do--it feels good, it's fun, etc. With the widening of women's roles in the bedroom, men have gained the ability to consider contraception.

Will women trust men to follow a pill regimen if one is invented? I'm sure that some will, particularly those in long-term relationships who have a history of trust to lean on. According to this article, that's where the drug companies will be focusing their marketing. (I can't wait until they have a combo birth control/impotence pill.) But I think that this is actually something that single men would be really interested in, because it's the perfect way for them to exert some control over their own fertility without committing to a vasectomy. This is a big deal; most doctors won't sterilize a man under 30 who has no children. While most guys I know are happy enough to trade off a little sexual pleasure for the security of condoms, they would be a lot happier if condoms worked a little better and would love to have a back-up method they could trust.

Both sexes agree that they'd like more options when it comes to contraceptives; the trouble is that men and women don't trust each other, according to Laurie Dils, a counselor and educator for Planned Parenthood. Women (like myself) currently manage the birth control in their relationships, and many wouldn't relinquish that responsibility to their significant others. Meanwhile, men in Dils' classes are eager to learn about contraception--because they don't entirely trust their partners.

This is a touchy issue here. There is little doubt that there a pervasive cultural myth that there are blood-sucking females lurking in every corner trying to trap men by getting pregnant, but I don't think that's the primary motive for men who are looking into contraceptive methods that they can control. For one thing, I have yet to meet a man who is researching his own options that actually thinks that women are being sneaky about their contraceptive use, no more than women are gripped with the paranoia that their sexual partners are poking holes in condoms. It's more that control is an end in and of itself. The idea that men are distrustful of women seems hollow to me--I've never had a boyfriend who was worried that I wouldn't take my pill.

While it's paranoid to be distrustful of women's intentions, it's entirely reasonable for men to be reluctant to put their complete trust into women's memories. Not many women on the pill can say they have taken it every day at the same time without fail, and while this isn't a big deal as long as they are generally good about it, I don't blame any man who wants a little back-up for peace of mind. It's the same thing with condoms. Even though they are generally okay, I wouldn't blame a man who wanted a little back-up, especially if he is single and unwilling to have children with a woman he doesn't have a committed relationship with. And while it's a little paranoid at times to think that someone is trying to trick you into conception, it's not unreasonable to be a little worried that if there was a conception that she wouldn't be sanguine with the idea of an abortion. In fact, a few men I know who openly think about their responsibility towards contraception do so because they believe firmly in a woman's right to choose; knowing that they wouldn't feel right to try to push a woman to or from an abortion, they would rather take the time and effort not to get to the point that it's an even an issue.

So, I think there are two rather large markets for a male contraceptive pill. Men in long-term relationships with women who cannot take the pill because of the side effects would probably be really interested in it. And single men who want more protection than condoms provide would be interested in it. More importantly, marketing fears shouldn't be such a problem in the research and introduction of new contraceptive options. Until such a drug is released and the public is made aware of it can we know how many men would be interested in such a thing.