If passed, the bill could take effect in July.
A newly proposed bill could see men face hefty fines if they are caught 'ejaculating without intent to conceive a child'.
The legislation, known as 'The Contraception Begins at Erection Act,' is being pushed by lawmakers in Ohio and Mississippi. If passed, it would make it illegal for a man to ejaculate unless conception is the intended outcome.
Both states outline exceptions for sperm donation and cases where contraception is used. In Mississippi, however, this would criminalize male masturbation, while in Ohio, it would not fall under the same ruling.
A summary of the Mississippi bill states: "This bill, known as the 'Contraception Begins at Erection Act,' proposes to make it unlawful for a person to discharge genetic material (sperm) without the intent to fertilize an embryo, effectively criminalizing certain male reproductive behaviors."
While the bill does not impose jail time, it does propose significant financial penalties.
For a first offense, a man would be fined $1,000. A second violation would increase the fine to $5,000, and a third would result in an even steeper $10,000 penalty. These fines would apply equally in both states.
As you might expect, this bill is not entirely serious.
The Mississippi version was introduced by lawmaker Bradford Blackmon, with a proposed enforcement date of July 1, 2025, pending approval by Governor Tate Reeves. However, the chances of it becoming law are slim to none.
Blackmon explained that most legislation surrounding reproductive rights primarily targets women.
Men could face a hefty fine Getty Stock Photo
"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 wrote, according to NBC News.
"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."
In Ohio, a similar bill was introduced by State Representatives Anita Somani and Tristan Rader. Somani, who has been an OBGYN for 30 years, said the bill is a response to laws regulating women’s reproductive rights.
The bill was proposed by Mississippi lawmaker Bradford Blackmon Bradford Blackmon/Facebook
Representative Somani explained: "You don't get pregnant on your own. If you're going to penalize someone for an unwanted pregnancy, why not penalize the person who is also responsible for the pregnancy?"
She made it clear that the bill is not intended to be enacted but rather to serve as a conversation starter.
She added: "It's more to make the statement and start the conversation. You know, I'm not here as an OBGYN, I'm not here to regulate reproductive rights, I'm here to show the absurdity of regulating anybody's rights."
Reproductive rights in the United States have undergone significant changes in recent years, most notably with the 2022 Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a ruling that had been in place since 1973.
The repeal has resulted in abortion bans in ten states, where terminations are now illegal, even in cases of rape.
Some critics have taken the bill literally, including Ohio State Republican Representative Austin Beigel, who said: "It's beyond ridiculous what's going on here. It's a mockery of the most basic biological concepts."
