COLUMBUS, Ohio (Diya TV) — Ohio legislators have tabled a contentious bill that would fine men who ejaculate without the intention of conceiving, to draw attention to perceived imbalances in reproductive law.
Democratic State Reps. Anita Somani of Dublin and Tristan Rader of Lakewood sponsored the “Conception Begins at Erection Act.” The bill would criminalize men for “discharging semen without intent to fertilize.” Punishments would begin at $1,000 for a first offense, jump to $5,000 for a second, and up to $10,000 for further crimes.
The bill provides exemptions for people who use contraception, masturbate, give sperm, or have sex within the LGBTQ+ community. Such exemptions highlight the bill’s emphasis on unprotected heterosexual sex without the aim of procreation.
Rep. Somani, an Indian American OB-GYN, highlighted the bill’s purpose of pushing back against current reproductive regulations. “If you’re going to punish somebody for an unwanted pregnancy, why not punish the person who’s also accountable for the pregnancy?” she said.
Co-sponsor Rader added, “If you find this language absurd, then perhaps you should find any bill that tries to limit reproductive freedom absurd as well.”
The proposal has incited controversy, with critics labeling it as political showmanship while proponents say it does a good job of highlighting issues concerning reproductive rights.
The bill has not been introduced in the Ohio House yet. With the Republican-dominated legislature, its chances of moving forward do not seem great.
This move comes on the heels of an earlier proposal in Mississippi when State Senator Bradford Blackmon brought forth the “Contraception Begins at Erection Act” to make it illegal to “discharge genetic material without intent to fertilize an embryo.”
