In Ohio, as in most states this year, the GOP has insisted on reforming women’s reproductive rights legislation. In order to protect the health and safety of women (and their reproductive organs), Republican’s claim that unborn fetuses must be protected. Legislation, such as H.B. 79 and H.B. 125, attempts to do just that. According to the GOP, women shall not have access to abortions, birth-control, condoms, or even gynecological check ups, in fear that they might make the wrong decisions for their own bodies. And the GOP must protect women’s bodies and reproductive organs from the women who inhabit them.
For their own safety. Of course.
In response to all the hype over protecting women’s bodies and reforming reproductive health benefits, Senator Nina Turner from Ohio may be one of the only Senators concerned about the health and safety of male bodies and reproductive organs. It is only ethical that if we protect female bodies against their inhibitors we must do the same for male bodies. For their own safety of course. Senator Turner argues that men need to understand the full implications of their reproductive choices before making important decisions. That is why she introduced S.B. 307 on March 6th.
By focusing on the neglected and vulnerable male reproductive organs, Turner’s bill would take the extra step in ensuring men make the right decisions for their own bodies. The bill would require that erectile dysfunction patients attend three sessions of outpatient counseling and that “the physician shall ensure that the sessions include information on nonpharmaceutical treatments for erectile dysfunction, including sexual counseling and resources for patients to pursue celibacy as a viable lifestyle choice” (727-730).
Let’s face it. If we adopt the theory that women’s reproductive decisions need to be “protected” by the state, then it is only ethical to do the same for men. Many of which are ignorant of the horrible side effects caused by erectile dysfunction medication and the alternative options that are available to them.
You know the argument that if women have access to reproductive healthcare that they will in effect have more sex and more abortions. Well if men have access to reproductive healthcare (erectile dysfunction medication) then they will be having more sex and more abortions. The argument sounds a bit illogical now doesn’t it?
Why is it that we take away a woman’s reproductive health care because we don’t want women to have too much sex; but at the same time we produce a multibillion dollar pharmaceutical industry to provide men with reproductive medications that help them have more sex?!!?!?!?! I think Senator Turner is right, we need to focus on these vulnerable men who are being taken advantage of by the pharmaceutical industry.