💦 Ejaculate responsibly

In her book Ejaculate Responsibly: A Whole New Way to Think About Abortion Gabriele Blair offers a whole new and fresh perspective on the subject of contraception.

According to Gabriele Blair, it is important for men to take responsibility for contraception because men are the biological cause of pregnancy through their ejaculation, which only they can control. Unlike women, who can only become pregnant during a limited window in their cycle and for a limited time in life, men are capable of causing pregnancy any day of the year and throughout their lifetime.

This means men have a unique biological responsibility and opportunity to prevent unwanted pregnancies by controlling where and when they ejaculate.

Blair highlights that men’s ability to "ejaculate responsibly" is key to reducing or eliminating unwanted pregnancies and, consequently, abortions.

She argues that men choosing not to take this responsibility contributes to ongoing problems with unintended pregnancies. Men have effective and relatively simple methods to prevent pregnancy, such as using condoms consistently or opting for vasectomy, a safe and reversible permanent contraception, but often do not utilize them or take ownership of contraception. Blair stresses that

shifting contraception responsibility more equally to men would lessen the disproportionate burden on women,

who face most side effects and health risks from contraceptive methods. Men taking responsibility also means open communication in partnerships and societal changes recognizing contraception as a shared duty.

In summary:

• Men are solely responsible for the act causing pregnancy (ejaculation).

• Men can cause pregnancy anytime, women cannot.

• Men have means (condoms, vasectomy) to prevent pregnancy safely.

• Taking responsibility would reduce unwanted pregnancies and abortions.

• Men’s responsibility would alleviate the physical and social burdens on women.

• It requires men to be proactive and communicate openly with partners.

This perspective underlines that contraception should no longer be seen as primarily a woman's responsibility but a shared and male-inclusive responsibility for reproductive outcomes.