Bradford Blackmon, a Democratic state senator for Mississippi, has introduced a new bill titled the "Contraception Begins at Erection Act" in an effort to highlight the hypocrisy of pro-life Republicans—and conservatives are furious.
Blackmon introduced the Contraception Begins at Erection Act as a satirical response to Mississippi’s strict abortion laws, which ban the procedure with only limited exceptions for rape or to save the mother’s life.
Since introducing the bill, Blackmon said he has received death threats and “vile” messages, primarily from men angered by the proposal to ban masturbation. However, he noted that women’s responses were “80 percent positive” while men were “about 50/50” in support or opposition.
The bill, which has almost no chance of passing the Republican-controlled Mississippi Legislature, would make it a criminal offense to “discharge genetic material without the intent to fertilize an embryo.” Those convicted would face escalating fines: $1,000 for a first offense, $5,000 for the second, and $10,000 for any additional offenses.
The proposal includes exceptions for genetic material that is “donated or sold to a facility for the purpose of future procedures to fertilize an embryo” or “discharged with the use of a contraceptive or contraceptive method intended to prevent fertilization.”
In an interview with TMZ, Blackmon said:
"I can't even count how many emails, voicemails, Instagram messages, Facebook messages—but what I will say is I break it down into the response from men and women."
"From women it's about 80 percent positive, thank you—finally you're putting a spotlight on the men's role, there's about 20 percent of the responses from women that are saying that I'm wasting time, wasting taxpayer money."
"And then on the men's side it's actually about 50/50. About 50 percent go 'thanks for pointing this out, I've got daughters, its always about what they can do and what they can't do, so thank you for setting the spotlight on this. And the 50 percent of men not for it are upset."
"They are mad. I guess it's the times we live in now because you can just type something and hit send but I'm getting some of the most vile things that people can imagine."
You can hear what he said in the video below.
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
Many have praised Blackmon's action.
@offlineconnor I’m cackling tbh #bluedot #womensrights #lgbtq #funny #voteblue
Blackmon has been clear that his bill is satirical, and with Republicans controlling both chambers of the Mississippi Legislature, its chances of becoming law are essentially nil. However, abortion remains a highly contentious issue, with both supporters and opponents pushing rival legislation in key swing states.
Blackmon said that "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 the 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."
You can see Blackmon speak to 16 WAPT News Jackson about the bill below.
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
