Anyone who’s heard of the pill as a form of birth control, knows it doesn’t go without side effects. Sure, it makes you a bit moody and gives you spots. No big deal. Other than throwing up, having headaches, a rise in blood pressure, possible blood clots and an increased risk of breast and cervical cancer, there’s really no fuss.
You could say its “just the sacrifice you make”. And so why do cisgender men not have to make this sacrifice?
A trial took place to develop a similar form of birth control for people assigned male at birth, but instead of a pill, it was taken through an injection. However, trials came to a halt when participants in the trial experienced mood swings and depression.
Almost half of cis women who take the pill stop using it within the first year due to intolerable side effects, mostly due to extreme mood changes surrounding anxiety and depression.
Clearly, there’s a bit of inconsistency. This isn’t to say that cis men should have to take on these side effects. No one should be experiencing these side effects, and the wellbeing of the people using them must be taken into account when developing birth control.
Written by Jess Urquhart
Artwork by Mrishana
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