A bill proposed to the Ohio statehouse will make male ejaculation without intent to have a baby, a fineable offense of up to $10,000.
The bill has been proposed by State Representatives Anita Somani and Tristan Rader, who wrote it to point out what they see as the absurdity of rules that control women’s bodies but do not control men’s. It has not been formally introduced to the House Floor yet.
Per Somani and Rader, men would face a $1,000 first offense, $5,000 second offense, and $10,000 subsequent offense fine to “discharge semen or genetic material without intent to fertilize an embryo.”
This is the second “Conception Begins at Erection” law to be brought up in Republican-led state house chambers after Mississippi state Senator Bradford Blackmon brought a similar bill to his State Senate in January.
Somani and Rader have been contacted via email for comment.
Why It Matters
There are no bills in the United States that exert control over the health and reproductive choices of cisgender men.
Meanwhile, it is illegal in 10 states for women to receive abortion care even in the case of a sexual assault. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has said he wants the court to re-evaluate Griswold vs Connecticut, the case that legalized nationwide access to birth control for married couples.
What To Know
Representative Somani, who is also an OBGYN, said her bill would make men who “discharge semen without the intent to fertilize” face felony charges.
Women across 21 states in the country currently face felony charges because they are trying to get an abortion for an unwanted pregnancy.
Their bill has some exceptions, as it says men in Ohio will not be fined if they are using birth control, donating sperm, masturbating, or having sex with another man or member of the LGBTQ+ community. The bill is specifically aimed at men having straight sex without protection who do not then create a baby.
Ohio voted to enshrine the right to an abortion in the State constitution by 57 percent to 43 percent in 2023. This vote prohibited the state from becoming involved in an Ohioans right to choose.
However, some state lawmakers such as Republican state Representative Austin Beigel, are trying to reverse this vote by introducing a bill called the Ohio Prenatal Equal Protection Act.
Beigel has called the “Conception Begins at Erection” bill “beyond ridiculous,” per News 5 Cleveland.
Somani and Rader say that is the point. They are trying to point out the “ridiculous” double standard when it comes to male and female roles in pregnancy.
They believe that if women are being arrested, and in three cases in Texas, dying, due to restrictive abortion laws, then legislatures should bring up bills to make men legally responsible for their role in conception as well.
What People Are Saying
Representative Tristan Rader in a video posted to Bluesky: “This bill highlights the vast inequalities in how we talk about men’s bodies versus how we talk about women’s bodies. If you find this language to be absurd, then maybe you should find any bill attempting to restrict reproductive freedoms absurd as well.”
Representative Anita Somani in a video posted to Bluesky: “Fair is fair, right? If this legislature is so dedicated to regulating women’s bodies and their access to contraceptives and abortion care, then let’s start policing men in the same way.”
What Happens Next
This bill has not yet been formally introduced. Ohio has a Republican-controlled House, so it is unlikely to go far, but it is sparking conversation over reproductive freedom in the state.
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