In a world where the burden of child-rearing often falls disproportionately on women, you’d think birth control would be a shared concern. After all, it takes more than just a woman to make a baby—hello, male sperm! Yet, a recent survey surprisingly revealed that many men seem to shrug off the significance of birth control.
Conducted by polling firm PerryUndem, the study surfaced after a tweet from Think Progress stated, “52 percent of men say they haven’t benefited from women having affordable birth control.” Cue the collective eye-roll from Twitter feminists, who quickly rallied to share their thoughts on this somewhat baffling statistic.
One insightful commenter noted that men who believe they don’t benefit from accessible birth control are clearly only thinking about their immediate desires. If we follow that logic, then why should women be expected to fund men’s Viagra when they don’t have an issue with, ahem, performance?
Interestingly, the survey found that older men—specifically those aged 60 and up—were the most likely to dismiss the benefits of birth control. A staggering 70% of them felt that since they wouldn’t be getting anyone pregnant anytime soon, it was irrelevant whether women had access to contraceptives. Thanks for the input, Grandpa! We’ll just send the baby over to you and Grandma every other weekend.
The survey also revealed that only 56% of men were in favor of maintaining the Affordable Care Act provision that ensures insurance plans cover birth control without a co-pay. Even more shocking, only 83% of men and 90% of women supported the ACA rule preventing insurers from charging women more than men based on gender. Shouldn’t that figure be a perfect 100%? (Breathe in, breathe out, repeat.)
So, what does a loss of birth control coverage mean for women? A full 33% of female respondents claimed they could only afford to spend $10 or less on birth control, while 14% stated they couldn’t afford any out-of-pocket expense. It seems some men might not fully grasp that losing coverage would increase costs. The desire to keep the coverage rose to 64% after they learned that out-of-pocket expenses would likely spike, saving users around $250 each year. But what about the 8% who still don’t care? We’re a tad worried about them.
Clearly, there’s a need for more education surrounding female birth control—its functions, costs, and importance. The fact that some men can navigate life without a basic understanding of women’s contraceptive options speaks volumes about how society values women’s health and autonomy. It’s alarming to think that when it comes to birth control, it’s still a “man’s world.”
For more on this topic and how it affects women’s health, check out our post on privacy policy. And if you’re interested in home insemination kits, Cryobaby at Home Insemination Kit is an excellent resource. Additionally, for more information about pregnancy and home insemination, visit this helpful link.
In summary, the survey results highlight a concerning lack of awareness among men regarding the importance of women’s birth control access. While some men may feel detached from the issue, the reality is that understanding and supporting reproductive health is crucial for everyone.