A bill has been introduced in the Mississippi Senate by a Democrat aiming to prohibit unprotected sexual activity unless the intent is procreation. The legislation is referred to as the “Contraception Begins at Erection Act.”
While the bill has sparked a wave of sarcastic reactions online related to Mississippi, its sponsor admitted that the primary goal is to provoke a response from those who oppose it.
Senator Bradford Blackmon, a Democrat from Canton, emphasized that this bill serves more as a political critique of Republican legislators who endorse restrictions on certain contraceptives, rather than a genuine attempt to regulate personal behavior.
Blackmon stated, “Male-dominated legislatures in Mississippi and across the nation pass laws that control women’s bodies. Yet, when a proposal emerges to govern a man’s actions regarding his own body in his private life, it triggers outrage. I am questioning why it is deemed unacceptable for the government to regulate activities in someone’s private space, especially when it concerns men.”
Content of the Bill
The “Contraception Begins at Erection Act” specifies that it would be illegal for a man to ejaculate without the express intention of fertilizing an embryo, unless contraception is in use. Methods such as condoms or birth control would be permissible.
The bill clearly states, “It shall be unlawful for a person to discharge genetic material without the intent to fertilize an embryo.”
In addition, it proposes penalties for unprotected sexual activity, imposing fines of $1,000 for the first offense, $5,000 for the second, and $10,000 for each subsequent violation. Donations to sperm banks would be excluded from this regulation.
Contraceptive Rights in the United States
The right to contraception in the United States has been safeguarded by significant Supreme Court rulings in 1965 and 1972. However, numerous states are increasingly attempting to restrict access to various contraceptive methods.
According to a Guttmacher Institute analysis in June 2024, eight states had either implemented or proposed measures to limit contraceptive access. For instance, a bill in Oklahoma aimed to ban intrauterine devices (IUDs) and emergency contraception.
Moreover, Indiana enacted legislation that restricted the types and availability of contraceptives for individuals enrolled in Medicare.
