A bill put forward by two Ohio Democrats is essentially seeking to outlaw masturbation and casual sex.
State Reps. Anita Somani and Tristan Rader this week put forward the “Contraception Begins at Erection Act” in their legislature.
The bill mirrors legislation recently put forward by Mississippi State Sen. Bradford Blackmon under the same name.
Under the terms of the act, men would be prohibited from masturbating or engaging in sexual activity when there is no “intent to fertilize an embryo.”
In a video posted to BlueSky, the pair argued that such legislation was only fair because Republicans have sought to restrict the murder of unborn children.
“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. After all, it does take two to tango, right?”
“Our bill would make it illegal to discharge semen or genetic material without the intent to fertilize an embryo,” she continued.
“If you find the language [in the bill] to be absurd, then maybe you should find any bill attempting to restrict reproductive freedoms absurd as well,” Rader added.
Every Sperm is sacred! #equalrights #reproductiverights
— Anita Somani District 8 OH (@anitamd.bsky.social) 5 February 2025 at 01:19
Blacmon, meanwhile, said he wants to hold men accountable for their role in women having abortions.
“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,” he said at the time.
”This bill highlights that fact and brings the man’s role into the conversation,” he continued.
The legislation proposes fines of $1,000 for a first offense, $5,000 for a second, and $10,000 for subsequent violations.
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, both Ohio and Mississippi have both enacted robust pro-life legislation aimed at protecting the unborn.
In Ohio, a six-week abortion ban, known as the heartbeat bill, was enacted, preventing abortions once fetal cardiac activity is detectable.
However, the law has faced significant legal challenges and is currently blocked as it awaits a final court decision.
Mississippi, meanwhile, implemented a near-total abortion ban almost immediately after Roe was overturned, with exceptions only for rape or cases where the mother’s life is in danger.
