Mississippi 'contraception begins at erections' bill. Here’s what we know
FILE-Protesters (L) gather outside the Mississippi State Capitol building during the state legislature's historic vote to change the Mississippi flag in Jackson, Mississippi on June 28, 2020. (Photo by RORY DOYLE/AFP via Getty Images)
A Mississippi senator introduced a bill that would ban men from participating in certain sexual activities without the intent of fertilizing an embryo.
The legislation was sponsored by Democratic state Sen. Bradford Blackmon, and here’s what you need to know.
What is the Contraception Begins at Erection Act?
The bill proposes to make it unlawful for a person to discharge genetic material (sperm) without the intent to fertilize an embryo, criminalizing certain male reproductive behaviors.
This legislation also includes two key exceptions: genetic material donated or sold to a facility for future embryo fertilization, and genetic material discharged using a contraceptive method intended to prevent fertilization.
Additionally, the bill states that there will be fines for violations starting with a $1,000 penalty for a first offense, $5,000 for a second offense, and $10,000 for a third or any subsequent offenses.
What they're saying:
In a statement provided to WLBT-TV in Mississippi, state. Sen. Bradford Blackmon said "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. This bill highlights that fact and brings the man’s role into the conversation. People can get up in arms and call it absurd but I can’t say that bothers me."
Blackmon told Newsweek that the bill is meant to "point out the double standards in legislation."
"When a bill has been filed that would regulate what a man is able to do with his own body in his own home, it suddenly has people in an uproar," he explained to Newsweek. "I am trying to figure out when it is okay for the government to dictate what you do in the privacy of your own home. Apparently, it is when the laws regulate men."
If the bill is signed and passed by Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, it would go into effect on July 1.
The backstory:
Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and ended the constitutional right to abortion, lawmakers in Republican-led states have attempted to restrict abortion and contraception access. State legislators nationwide have introduced at least 400 abortion-related bills to date.
Mississippi is among 12 other states that have a total or near-total ban on abortion, according to KFF, a nonprofit organization focused on health policy matters. Six other states have banned abortion from six to 12 weeks of gestation.
Meanwhile, legislation introduced in Mississippi criminalizes helping a minor obtain an abortion without the consent of a parent or guardian. And the state’s bill would call for penalties up to life in prison, the Associated Press reported.