I'll allow that to settle on your mind for a minute... settled? Good.
Scientists in Israel may have discovered an oral contraceptive that actually deactivates a key protein in sperm which leads to pregnancy. The revolutionary pill may be available in as early as three years. My info brief will not be so much concerned with the new findings, but with the social implications it could mean on sex and sexual responsibility.
It's no secret that socially, the responsibility for using protection--and ensuring an enjoyable experience free of pregnancy--lies primarily in the hands of the female. This is unfair, and founded deep in patriarchal ideas around sex and sexuality. To now introduce the possibility that men have a more proactive option in preventing pregnancy opens the door to the question of, "So will men now be held more accountable for an unplanned baby?"
Off the top, for those wondering, the pill would be able to be taken once a month or once every three months, it wouldn't come with any weird side-effects like the female pill, and because it kills that key protein, it's considered to be 100% effective.
Click here to read more on this new study.
-Robb Scott-
In terms of preventing pregnancy, this sounds like a great bet. I am very interested. Also, will you address STDs in your speech? I hope that people don't become misguided by birth control methods and start spreading STDs like crazy by not using protection.
ReplyDeleteRob, great topic. I had no idea and I would love to hear more about the actual pill as well as how you believe it will be received and how it will impact society. In terms of the assignment, please stick to the FACTS and detailed information about the pill for your informative brief. You are more than welcome to develop your arguments further and talk about how you think the pill will be received and how it will affect society in your *persuasive* speech.
ReplyDeleteThis was a really fun brief you delivered the other day. Some of the video subjects were asking "why haven't scientists come up with a male birth control pill before this?" as if to say some backwards misogynistic principles were guiding modern medicine and research. One thing I want to point out is that chemistry doesn't really work like this in practice. My uncle is a PhD working for Johnson and Johnson, and what they do is analyze the interactions between various chemicals. Only after thorough studies between specific chemicals are performed can a desired interaction be found, almost as if by chance. So even if the demand for such a product has been present, the laws of modern economics don't necessarily apply to modern chemistry. There's always been high demand for eternal youth, and chemists haven't been sitting on their laurels, it's just hard to make discoveries.
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