Part Three: Things to Think About
Marketing and education have a pervasive influence on how both men and women view contraception. The women that were interviewed were aware of the wide range of contraceptive products available to them. They know the procedures they have to go through to get them (doctor’s appointment, prescriptions etc). The men have only one option (until they are old enough to consider a vasectomy, which is far in the future for most college students) and usually appreciate the simplicity and convenience of having only one product which is easily purchased. More choices and products have never been marketed to them and they have never had to weigh the pros and cons among a huge range of products. For men to accept new contraceptive products, options would have to be marketed to them the way they are to women: not as a choice between individual products, but between lifestyle choices.
The men also had very different conceptions of power and bodily autonomy than the women. The men stated that they simply would not use products that were invasive, inconvenient, or severely disruptive to their body’s chemistry. They are used to having a product which is easy to buy, does not effect their body, protects against STIs, and is not invasive; there is no reason to change to another product if it represents a change for the worse in these areas. Women are used to the idea that to get birth control they will probably have to face a procedure which is either invasive or effects their hormones, and that no procedure will be convenient.
The men that were interviewed did have a strong sense of responsibility: they all used condoms, stated that they felt both partners should share contraceptive responsibility, and said that they considered the needs of the woman as a reason to use contraception. Their reservations towards new products are not objections to taking sexual responsibility but towards their potential negative side effects. Moreover, they had given thought to the possibility of contracting an STI and were not willing to take risks by using a product that could be an effective contraception but which would not protect them in that area.
Issues of convenience, side effects, and financial cost should be addressed when developing new contraceptive products for men. They should not feel that they have to use a product that they find inferior, and any new product should be developed specifically to take their concerns into account. The same is true for women. They seemed to describe a situation where they had to accept available birth control options despite unequal financial and time obligations (although they did appreciate the benefits of birth control), and the men seemed happy to continue to simply use condoms given their benefits.
New forms of male contraception would probably work best for men who do not like using condoms and who are in a trusted long term relationship where they are less likely to worry about STIs. In these cases, having more options would allow both partners in the relationship to discuss which partner is more prepared in terms of finances, time, and responsibility to be the one to use contraception (a conversation the women would appreciate being able to have.) In general, an introduction of new forms of male contraception would have to change how we see contraception for both for men and women. All options would have to be equally viable -and that means new contraception for men must specifically address their needs. It also means that current forms of contraception available for women should be changed to fit women’s needs, as well. Men deserve options which are convenient and safe for them to use, but women should have these options too. That means having easier access to contraceptives (the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is pushing for over the counter birth control options for women-an option that women in thirty five countries worldwide already have) and increased education to be able to use this easy access responsibly and ask for help when needed. It also means development of birth control for women that is less invasive and reduces financial costs. Contraception should give sexual independence to the user while being flexible enough to allow romantic or sexual partners to make decisions together about what fits their needs the most.
