to think a male pill would be one of the best things that could happen to society?

[ZoeCM]

A massive number of society's problems are caused by absent or bad fathers. Imagine if, before a baby was conceived, a man had to consciously think, "I want to have a child with this woman, so I'll come off the pill." Not just "I want to have sex, this woman is willing, and it'll be less enjoyable if we use a condom."

Of course, it wouldn't be a panacea. There would still sadly be men who choose to come off the pill but are bad fathers anyway, or decide once the reality of parenthood sets in that they can't be bothered. And there would also be men who just don't bother to take the pill properly and are then shocked when the woman gets pregnant. But on balance, if there were a way for men to have condom-free sex without potentially having to pay for a child for eighteen years afterwards, a lot of them would be downright religious in their use of it.

I'm genuinely intrigued to see if anyone disagrees with this. I can't see any downside.

YANBU. Having both parties able to independently control their own fertility would be fantastic. It would ensure men have access to the same thing women do: the ability to take contraception the other partner isn't aware of. In situations where women are being coerced to TTC, they can take the pill to prevent pregnancy. Same would apply if men were being coerced.

It would mean men not having to rely on women taking the pill correctly or truthfully. Taking control of their own contraception. Which is what women have always been asking for, right?

But as I pointed out earlier, the reverse is already possible now (women taking the pill when their partner thinks they're trying to conceive). And there are also women who tell their partner they're on the pill when they really aren't. If a male pill existed, both parents would have to actively decide that they want a baby now, which would be a net win for society.

I would agree with that. As a young man, I would have taken the male pill as well as using condoms ( I worked next to infectious diseases in the 90s) As didnt want to get anyone pregnant, having seen pregnancies at 15/16 around me.

I know that women can be dishonest about taking or not taking the pill; I just feel, given the opportunity of taking it, men, as is nearly always the case, would be far more prolific in lying about it, Also from a genuine contaception point of veiw were also far more likley to forget to take it forget to order it and would genuilney end up another task managed by their partners.

We had this discussion years ago (not on MN) when the male pill came out or was being discussed. Most women then said they wouldn’t trust the man to take it.

Not a chance

If a male pill existed, both parents would have to actively decide that they want a baby now, which would be a net win for society.

Both parents already do that now.

I’m all for a male pill/ male injection but I don’t think it is going to make that big of a difference when men will still be able to do as they please and leave a woman with a baby whether she wanted it or not. There are also men who change their mind after the baby is born and will find any way not to pay CM.

We can talk about a small minority of women lying about being on the pill but there would be men doing the same, won’t admit that they forgot to take theirs, taking it wrong, etc.

With the options men have now, there are men poking holes in condoms, stealthing by taking them off during sex, tampering with women’s contraceptives, tampering with women’s drinks whether they are in a relationship or not amongst other things.

Perhaps, it may have to come down to it being an actual legal contract before sex takes place with both parties agreeing they are taking contraception and what happens if it fails.