On Jan. 20, Democratic Senator Bradford Blackmon presented an over-the-top bill titled “Contraception Begins at Erection Act.” This bill proposes the prevention of male discharge of sperm without the intent to fertilize an embryo. While this bill sounds ridiculous to implement, it wasn’t necessarily created to actually pass in committee.
In 2022, Roe V. Wade, an important historical decision, was overturned. This permitted individual states the right to decide abortion laws. Many believe this is unconstitutional, taking away rights of females nationwide. A point expressed from outraged women is lack of responsibility towards the men who helped conceive the fetus in the first place.
“All across the country, especially here in Mississippi, the vast majority of bills relating to contraception and/or abortion focus on the woman’s role when men are fifty percent of the equation,” said Senator Blackmon in a statement to WLBT News.
In a realistic light, the bill is more of a statement piece with an expectation to fail for a number of reasons. For example, lack of method to enforce, unrealistic standards, and inability to determine intentions. If the act were to pass, it would be set to become enforceable by July 1, 2025 with fines up to $10,000.