What would happen if male birth control was available?

I think you may be forgetting about The Condom

@papayalily – Nah. Condom’s suck. They dull the sensations and are a pain to put on in the heat of passion. I’ve even had women not want to use a condom even when I was willing to. A male birth control pill (or patch or whatever) would be a boon to men who don’t want to risk becoming indentured servants for the next 18 years…

@HungryGuy ah, yes, as opposed the diaphragm, which never has any issues.

I can see a lot more women being concerned about the use of male birth control then men. They’d rather take the responsibility themselves – it’d be tough for most women to trust somebody else with that responsibility, especially since it typically has greater ramifications for women then men.

@Akiora – Right! Neither partner wants to trust the other with something so important. So both partners can protect themselves and, together, be doubly safe!

Right, because once they are both protected against pregnancy alone, who cares about STIs…

Birth control or not, condoms should still be used. Birth control is a back up for when condoms fail and condoms are a back up for when birth control fails, ideally neither shouldn be used as the only protection unless you are 100% certain both people are free of STIs (unless of course you want an STI, then nevermind wearing a condom too)…

@ubersiren I think male birth control is a great idea and I hope one day it really happens. I will encourage my son to use it once it is proven safe and effective. I would still tell him to use condoms because of STIs though.

If his girlfriend wants to be on birth control to, that’s great, but I’d tell him to protect himself from unwanted pregnancy the best he can. It may not happen often, but I knew a girl to that put holes in her condoms because she wanted a baby.

@Seaofclouds I actually think condoms should be the backup because they aren’t as effective as other forms of bc

@papayalily I agree, and actually was just editing to add that into my post, when used together, each one can be a back up for the other.

I would have to see the papers about a vasectomy before I’d trust the man to be in charge of the birth control!

Pill? Would you trust a man to remember to take it? ;)

There may be less unplanned pregnancies however there will probably be an increase in veneral diseases.
Oh, there will also be more guys denying paternity after they screw up taking the pill on time.

@Akiora Why would the responsibility roles change? Wouldn’t women still continue to take their birth control as well as the men now taking it to double the protection against pregnancy? If my SO got male birth control I know I wouldn’t stop taking mine. In my opinion having both parties taking it would be significantly safer against unwanted pregnancy. However as @Seaofclouds said I would still enforce condoms since there are still risks of STIs.

I think the only way men will get behind male birth control pill is if it’s also proven to enhance endurance or size… yadda yadda yadda.

I’m still amazed at the # of people who are not in long term relationships who say they don’t always use condoms. Scary.

It is available. It’s called a vasectomy.

Male birth control is available. Maybe the bigger question is whether, what would happen if, male pregnancy was “available.” If men could become pregnant, it might be a whole different world out there.

A woman would be foolish to trust that a man took the pill. Unless it turned the guy’s balls a different color, like green for example, it is just too easy for him to lie about it.
And I’m a guy.

Regarding all of the “Guys would lie/forget to take it”.
Why are these somehow more true for men than they are for women? What, you think that every man secretly does want to have a kid, and wants to trick his sexual partner into pregnancy?

@Sarcasm While I agree fully with your point, the key difference is as follows: if a male is duped into parenthood, the worst think that could happen to him is having to financially support the child; all other commitments could be avoided. If a female is duped into parenthood, not only does the child incur that financial stress, but also a pregnancy and the resulting (completely irrevocable) change to her body. In such a scenario, she is physically changed against her will.

What a great question. I don’t think I would trust a man to take it. I wouldn’t want to rely on the man. I feel more comfortable knowing I have taken the pill. It would probably make me more paranoid if I put the responsibility on to someone else.

Hell yeah! My husband would be on that right away! I hate hormonal birth control, plus I don’t want to take any now since I’m breastfeeding and I’m convinced it’ll dry me up. Male birth control (other than a condom) would be perfect. And my husband would only be resistant because he isn’t a fan of taking any medication, but I don’t think he’d have an issue with it like some men would.

I don’t know if there’d be a rush out to try it though. I’m betting men would feel less masculine.

Also, in my single days, I don’t think I’d ever trust a guy to be the responsible one to take a pill every day. I wonder how men ever trust women with that, unless they’re close to them..and lets face it, you’re not always close to someone you have sex with.

Sigh… condoms and vasectomies are not the same as a hormonal contraceptive. One is fairly permanent, and the other is used only at the time of intercourse. I know they exist, smartasses. I’m not asking about those.

@lillycoyote It’s already available? Is there an article I can read about it? I know there are things in development, but I wasn’t aware it was available on the market yet.

@casheroo I know what you mean. I feel guilty taking it while breastfeeding. I know it’s supposed to be safe, but I just don’t like to put anything in my system while breastfeeding. I’m sure as hell taking it though. Lol… It hasn’t dried me up at all. But I wonder if I’d have even more milk if I wasn’t taking it. Yeah, I sort of thought the same thing about men feeling emasculated by taking it.

@Sarcasm Sorry I forgot to ask to borrow your username. I was being sarcastic. ;)

@chels Looks we can’t trust you to remember things either :D

Fewer men bitching about child support for kids not aborted.

Fewer men marrying women “for the baby” and to appease all families involved.

Fewer women who thought the guy would marry them and embrace family life but he didn’t.

Fewer women cheated on or left during marriages that weren’t originally about just love.

Fewer women raising kids because their birth control failed and they don’t believe in abortion.

All that is if the men would take the stuff to begin with. I happen to think they’d balk at any side effects and physical changes from hormone fluctuations. They’re too used to women putting up with all the crap and then complaining about how we complain.

@ubersiren Yes, male birth control methods are available. They’re called condoms.

@lillycoyote Hilarious. I responded about “condoms” in my last comment. I didn’t ask about “birth control methods.” I asked about a birth control pill or similar device, meaning, such as an IUD. It’s all in the details, which I think some smart/ dumb asses skipped right over.

Furthermore, condoms aren’t a male birth control method. And vasectomies are neither a pill or device as mentioned in the details. I thought Fluther drew in smarter people than this, no?

@ubersiren I believe in your details you asked about a make “birth control pill/device.” How is a condom not a male birth control “device.” What makes it so much different than female birth control “devices” such as the diaphragm or the IUD? And how on earth can you say that the condom is not a male birth control method? Please explain your thinking on that one. It is a method that males can use to prevent pregnancy that is completely independent of the woman’s participation. If you want to ask about a male birth control pill then ask that. Don’t use the term device if you are asking about some sort of systemic type of birth control and again, please explain to me how you can possibly say that condoms and vasectomies are not forms of male birth control? Condoms and diaphragms are both barrier methods of birth control. One method is used by a man and one method is used by a woman. Vasectomies and tubal ligation are both methods of birth control, one used by a man and one used by a woman. And again, to be blunt, what the fuck is it about condoms that are not a male form of birth control?

Let me make this perfectly clear.

1. A condom is a shared responsibility. A woman can have much more say over whether or not a man wears a condom than if he takes a pill. She can tell with her own eyes and other sensory organs whether or not he’s wearing it. If he refuses, the woman can refuse sex. With a pill, it’s much harder for a woman to have control over him taking it. Pills go into the person’s body and is that person’s responsibility. A condom is in contact with BOTH bodies and must be present at the time of intercourse with BOTH people. Either gender can purchase it; it isn’t prescribed to just ONE person.

2. Condoms are not just a contraceptive. They protect against STDs and STIs as well. This is not the subject at hand.

3. I was obviously not asking about condoms. That’s why I specifically wrote PILL/device… as in, a hormonal device similar to the pill. I also didn’t mention spermicide foam, the pull out method, blow jobs, etc. Before you say “The pull out method isn’t a ‘device’ either” I’d like to direct you here so we don’t have to get into it. I didn’t think I had to list the individual items I was referring to what I wasn’t.

Do you think I didn’t know condoms existed or something? Your comment and the person who said this before you, “They’re called condoms” is evidence that you two are ignoring the topic and just being smart asses for the sake of being smart asses.

Ooh no, this is why I stop following threads. Doesn’t matter about condoms cause men don’t want to wear them either.

@ubersiren I wanted to apologize for my smart ass comment(s), though I don’t think it warranted quite the degree of anger it raised in you, essentially calling me stupid, which made me angry. Anyway, I apologize and, in the spirit of reconciliation, I saw this on the BBC’s website today and thought you might be interested.

@lillycoyote Very interesting, thank you! I want to apologize also. I didn’t mean to call you stupid. I retaliated that way because my knowledge was being challenged. After the third comment about condoms, and after I had explained myself and people were still not getting it, I became frustrated. It’s easy for me to just lose it anymore with the quality of questions and answers on here lately. I’ve just about had it with the teenage mouthiness.

@ubersiren Thanks. I really did feel bad about our interchange. I wanted to apologize and then one of the first things I saw on the BBC today was, of all things, that article on male birth control! and my first thought was, wow, ubersiren might find that interesting, too bad she probably hates me. :) Anyway, so we’re good? :)

Yeah, we’re totally fine. :)

@ubersiren :)

i believe it maybe chance a little bit. but everyone knows guys feel that women has to take it because she is the one that gets pregnant. but the guys that are scared of pregnancy a lot may take it. and maybe so many teens would stop getting prego!

What would happen? I would take it, that’s what would happen!! I frickin’ hate condoms!

Nothing would happen. It’d be the same as before——men wouldn’t use it.

Pregnancy prevention is not the only reason we use condoms. If a periodic shot/pill were available for men, I hope it would happen, pregnancy prevention should be a dual responsibility!