When will we see the advent of shared natural contraceptive practices?
Is it possible for men to have more control over the consequences of their fertility in sexual relationships? What means do they have at their disposal to extricate themselves from this destiny of silence that is man's with his sexuality, paternity and fertility? Beyond the current contraceptive norm, might it not be possible to rethink contraceptive preference in terms of contraceptive mutualization?
Until the 19th century, contraception was controlled by men. Admittedly, there were a few eminine contraceptive methods, such as herbal remedies and spermicides, but male contraception, notably coitus interruptus and the condom, was the most widely used, from Antiquity until the advent of medicalized female contraception (Desjeux, 2009).
While scientists have developed thirteen new contraceptive methods for women since the 1950s, contraceptive methods for men have remained virtually unchanged for four hundred years (Davidson et al., 1985; cited by Oudshoorn, 2003).
Traditional methods are masculine, while modern methods are feminine. Men find themselves relieved of a responsibility that had previously fallen largely on their shoulders.
The demand for male contraceptives is very real, but it is overlooked in the face of representations such as :
- Men aren't interested.
- They are not competent to assume responsibility for contraception.
- Too few men are concerned (those in stable heterosexual couples) compared to the global population.
- Fear of side effects, of loss of virility and pleasure.
The perception of contraception as a woman's business places all the health risks and mental burdens of contraception on women. Finally, it contributes to keeping women symbolically on the side of nature.
The practice of testicular lift for contraceptive purposes has passed all clinical studies. It meets all the criteria: acceptable, effective, reversible, no side effects, low cost. Two principles stand out:
- Self-efficacy, defined as the acquisition of a high degree of knowledge of one's own abilities, in this case, with regard to desired temporary infertility.
- Self-belief, defined as self-belief or confidence in oneself and in one's ability to take responsibility, in this case for contraception alone or in a mutualized way.
Accompanying users with simple, relevant tools will lead them to the correct use of the Male Thermal Contraception (MTC) protocol by testicular raising, and to confidence on the part of their partner. It's important to make it clear to the man wishing to have his testicles raised for contraception that he must trust himself, and be sure of the veracity of this technique. Anchoring the man's ability to take responsibility for all or part of the contraceptive process within the couple will enhance the quality of the relationship.
The testicular rise as a catalyst for rethinking and expressing the masculine version of the triptych:
- Sexuality: From restriction to full pleasure. For once, is it possible to get away from the denial of female sexuality? Sexuality and pleasure, criteria that are so much in the background when it comes to female contraception and so much in the foreground when it comes to male contraception! The thermal ring is the only device that provides pleasure and enables the application of a contraceptive protocol with a theoretical and practical efficacy index as good as that of the Intra-Uterine Device! Men are no longer objectified simply as a barrier to STIs with the condom!
- Fatherhood: From an individual to a relational mode. How can we make men aware of their responsibility to procreate if not by giving them the technical, intellectual and collaborative means to control their own fertility? A man's investment in contraception involves staging his own body, with testicles, in the eyes of himself and his partner. Whether or not double contraception is used, procreation becomes a choice for men, rather than a duty or obligation.
- Fertility: From power to control. Isn't male contraception also a vehicle for the necessary dissociation between procreation and sexuality? The male dimension of fertility has never been disconnected from sexuality. Active contraception with CMT enables a dissociation between sexuality and procreation, between desired child and decided child. Women could once again be considered in their feminine, maternal dimension. By reinterpreting the norms of pleasure and sexuality, the man frees himself from a traditional masculine role, and enables the couple, or himself, to reconsider fertility in its two constituent dimensions: feminine and masculine.
According to the traditional oppositions between men and women, men are on the side of culture and rationality, while women are on the side of nature and emotion. When will it finally be possible to envisage a shared risk model in which both the risks and benefits for men and women are taken into account? Does it seem so inconceivable to share responsibility for contraception when it still takes two to procreate? Men's active participation in contraception is no longer an unattainable dream. It's up to you! The basic idea is to involve both partners in a mutual project to control fertility, according to their current aspirations, needs and limitations. Offer yourself a natural return to your own body, and its resources engrammed in the memory of the living.
When will we see an end to the omerta surrounding men's intimacy?
When will we see the advent of shared natural contraceptive practices?
Let's break the law of silence!
Labrit Maxime - 11-17-2018