As we all know, birth control, more specifically birth control pills, have long been used by women to prevent pregnancy. So, when first made aware of the news that scientists were conducting research in developing a male version of the "shot," I was ecstatic! Finally, a way in which men AND women could be equally responsible for their reproductive health.
But wait, the fragility of the male ego strikes again!
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The study was halted after it was reported that 6% of the male participants said they could not handle the "side effects" that women have been experiencing for decades (even though the male birth control was found 95% effective!).
I not only want to call attention to the double standard set by the scientists conducting the study, but also to the fact that we are completely ignoring the root of this problem. The study got canceled due to concerns over the safety of the men, which is understandable, but where were these concerns when women in the 1940's and 1950's had to endure far worse? Some women were used as "guinea pigs" and experienced far worse side effects, like seizures and loss of fertility. However, their "side-effects" were only seen as "understandable" given the fact that medical history was being made here, guys!
Women have had to endure the side effects of birth control for years now because what other choices do we have? We have long had to deal with the possibility of depression, weight gain, acne, loss of libido, and loss of fertility. However, we have braved on in the face of difficulty to control our reproductive future (FYI, the FIRST study of the onset of depression in regards to birth control got published THIS YEAR). However, the minute that 6% of the men in a study experienced something remotely similar to what women have been enduring for decades, the entire study is called off. The mere rhetoric towards birth control is that since women are the ones to become pregnant, birth control is our responsibility. Since when has this become our duty? Our pain and our concerns are getting invalidated, and it is unfair to expect women to bear the pain that is determined too "risky" for men to endure. Once again, we are getting shown that women's struggles are not as important as those of men. So, either we improve the safety of our birth control for both male and females, or men need to carry their fair share and continue with the study.
