If passed, the bill could take effect in July.
A newly proposed bill could see men face hefty fines if they are caught ‘ejaculating without intent to conceive a child’.
The legislation, known as ‘The Contraception Begins at Erection Act,’ is being pushed by lawmakers in Ohio and Mississippi. If passed, it would make it illegal for a man to ejaculate unless conception is the intended outcome.
Both states outline exceptions for sperm donation and cases where contraception is used. In Mississippi, however, this would criminalize male masturbation, while in Ohio, it would not fall under the same ruling.
A summary of the Mississippi bill states: “This bill, known as the ‘Contraception Begins at Erection Act,’ proposes to make it unlawful for a person to discharge genetic material (sperm) without the intent to fertilize an embryo, effectively criminalizing certain male reproductive behaviors.”
While the bill does not propose jail time, it does include substantial financial penalties.
A first offense would result in a $1,000 fine, increasing to $5,000 for a second violation and a hefty $10,000 for a third. These fines would apply equally in both states.
However, as expected, the bill is not entirely serious.
Mississippi lawmaker Bradford Blackmon introduced the proposal, with a suggested enforcement date of July 1, 2025, pending approval by Governor Tate Reeves. Still, the likelihood of it becoming law is extremely low.
Blackmon emphasized that most legislation concerning reproductive rights primarily targets women, highlighting the bill’s satirical intent.
“Across the country, especially here in Mississippi, the vast majority of bills concerning contraception and abortion focus solely on women—despite men being fifty percent of the equation,” Blackmon wrote, according to NBC News.
“This bill highlights that fact and brings the man’s role into the conversation. People may call it absurd, but that doesn’t bother me.”
A similar bill was introduced in Ohio by State Representatives Anita Somani and Tristan Rader.
Somani, an OB-GYN with 30 years of experience, stated that the proposal is a direct response to laws restricting women’s reproductive rights.
Representative Somani explained: “You don’t get pregnant on your own. If you’re going to penalize someone for an unwanted pregnancy, why not penalize the person who is also responsible for the pregnancy?”
She made it clear that the bill is not intended to be enacted but rather to serve as a conversation starter.
She added: “It’s more to make the statement and start the conversation. You know, I’m not here as an OBGYN, I’m not here to regulate reproductive rights, I’m here to show the absurdity of regulating anybody’s rights.”
Reproductive rights in the U.S. have seen major shifts in recent years, most notably after the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which had protected abortion rights since 1973.
As a result, abortion is now banned in ten states, even in cases of could rape.
While the proposed bill is largely symbolic, some critics have taken it at face value.
Ohio State Republican Representative Austin Beigel dismissed it, stating, “It’s beyond ridiculous what’s going on here. It’s a mockery of the most basic biological concepts.”
