Male Birth Control: Not Sex Standing Up

by Alex DiBranco · 2010-05-18 11:45:00 UTC
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I really love this new PSA from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (NCPTUP) because this was essentially my reaction on finding out that nearly one in five 18 to 29-year-old men believe that having sex standing up decreases the chance of getting pregnant. The gist of the ad, and my sentiments: WHAT. THE. FUCK.

I guess this is what happens with abstinence-only education and a refusal to provide youth with proper comprehensive sex education. ONE IN FIVE!! Ahem ... sorry. Anyway, I hope the tongue-in-check approach taken by the NCPTUP campaign at havesexstandingup.com makes an impact because, if this is what men think of as good birth control, no wonder we have such high rates of youth pregnancy. (They've also made a music video to try to get the point across.) And ladies, don't be mislead if your sex partner suggests that a vertical approach will keep your eggs unfertilized. As the website says, "Gravity's got nothin' on sperm-they can swim. So if you do it standing up, make sure it's just for fun, not for birth control."

While we're on the subject of men and birth control, there is some good news: namely, that progress is being made on research to use ultrasound waves or testosterone gels to temporarily stop the production of pregnancy-producing sperm. Until then, if you're having sex — standing up, lying down, or any other position out of the Kama Sutra — the best form of male birth control is a condom. Suit up.

Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor who has worked for the Nation, Political Research Associates, and the Center for American Progress. She is now based in New York City.
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