Future of Sex
tagline
  • Remote Sex
  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment
  • Robots
  • Human Augmentation
  • Sex Tech
  • Dating & Relationships
  • Bizarre Bazaar 18+
  • Future of Sex Community
  • Remote Sex
  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment
  • Robots
  • Human Augmentation
  • Sex Tech
  • Dating & Relationships
  • Bizarre Bazaar 18+
  • Future of Sex Community
  • Designers Unveil Wildly Creative Fashions for Pandemic Living

  • This Stroker Gives Female-like Orgasms to Trans People and Men

  • Lora DiCarlo Responds to WOW Tech Group’s ‘Pleasure Air Technology’ Patent Claims

  • Sex Tech in 2021: What Industry Leaders Expect in the Year Ahead

  • VDOM’s ‘Cyber Penis’ Evolves Wearable Sex Tech for All Genders

  • When Will Male Sex Toys Go Mainstream?

  • The ‘Virtual Girlfriend’ Experience: AI Love Doll Sends Racy Pics and Texts

  • Touching Issues: Are COVID-19 Virtual Relationships Doomed to Fail?

Future of Sex is supported by our readers. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Home > Augmentation > The Future of Male Contraceptive: When Will It Catch Up with Birth Control Options for Women?

AugmentationSex Tech
Home›Augmentation›The Future of Male Contraceptive: When Will It Catch Up with Birth Control Options for Women?

The Future of Male Contraceptive: When Will It Catch Up with Birth Control Options for Women?

By Marcus K. Dowling
November 6, 2019
1204
0

Examining the medical progress for men’s reproductive health. 

Here’s a fascinating thought to consider: Why hasn’t male contraceptive technology advanced at a pace similar to that of sexual health and wellness tech for women? 

It seems like it should be mathematically possible, given that in a 2017 New York Times article, author Anna North wrote that “women entrepreneurs in the sex product industry make up 30% of the industry overall.” 

But, as Logan Nickels, the Director of Operations and Programs at the Male Contraceptive Institute says, there is a definite gender imbalance when it comes to birth control options: 

If you ask the average person about contraception, they say, ‘the pill,’ or if you talk to someone else, they’ll say, ‘IUDs,’. They only name female methods. When I ask about male methods, they say, ‘oh, condoms?’

Clearly advocating for equal rights for men in advancing technology—especially when they appear to dominate so much of the space in the established sex tech, is a difficult gambit. 

In considering the history and advancement of male contraception, as well as looking at how post-Millenials view gender roles and social cues, we learn—via conversations with Logan Nickels, as well as YourChoice Therapeutics co-founder Akash Bakshi —exactly what conditions are needed for male contraception to close the pop cultural impact gap on female sex tech.

In Anna North’s aforementioned article, she notes that “the young and largely Millennial female population was harnessing their economic and social power to disrupt the industry, both on the business and on the consumer side.”

 Regarding men, there is an entirely different conversation occurring. “Vasectomies should be available in the Affordable Care Act,” says Logan Nickels regarding one of the most ideal solutions for advancing male contraceptive therapy. 

He also notes that there are unique scientific and financial challenges to innovation in the male contraceptive industry. Thus, the lack of funding in the space in the last three decades has been a problem. 

Furthermore, he lists goals for raising consciousness on the subject include normalizing vasectomies, tubal ligation, teaching young men in school about female contraception—30% of men don’t know what an intrauterine device (IUD) is—as important.

YourChoice Therapeutics’ Akash Bakshi has a unique spin on why awareness of men’s sex tech issues is stagnating: 

It’s all about considering how we think about pregnancy [in the case of un-partnered people]. The development of the idea that fathers should be responsible for child support if a woman got pregnant definitely impacted how people thought about male contraception. Prior to that, if a woman got pregnant, it was solely her problem. The removal of ‘slut-shaming’ from the issue changed everything. Also, it’s thinking about married people, family planning, and how men now want to have a role in that.

“Big pharma and other agencies” still lead the pack insofar as ideal sources for marketing dollars available to, outside of gender norms evolving, to promote the numerous developments that can alter existing perceptions of male sex tech. 

There is significant recent history suggest that young peoples' changing view of gender roles and sexual awareness could eventually lead to men and women sharing the forefront of the sex tech revolution.

The 1980s saw trials of hormonal contraceptives for men, via an injectable contraceptive. Because of the way men process testosterone, it had to be administered very often. That method dropped men’s sperm counts. 

This is problematic because, regarding women’s contraception, by comparison, women produce one egg a month, while men produce 1,000 sperm a second. The issue with men’s sperm counts dropping is that there is no quantifiable scientific evidence that accurately notes what a “proper” sperm count is. 

Unfortunately, not being able to ascertain how exactly to not impact the importance of testosterone while simultaneously still impacting sperm count caused this movement to not yield a fruitful result.

Larger pharmaceutical companies were interested in male contraception in the early 2000s. Trial and error with those methods largely centered around severe side effects like male infertility, or in the case of gossypol —a plant-based on non-hormonal drug—dose-dependent paralysis. 

Currently, male contraceptive development is inspired by creating hormonal therapies that are as diverse as a daily pill, monthly injectable, or Nestorone, a gel that’s rubbed on the shoulder.

“We have the technology that would best allow for male contraception,” Akash Bakshi says. “He continued: 

[YourChoice Therapeutics] products ideally decrease sperm motility (the ability of sperm to move independently, using metabolic energy) and spermatogenesis (the production or development of mature spermatozoa). The number of companies working in the [male contraception] space, you can essentially counton one hand, and the number of experts is extremely limited. Surrounding yourself with people who provide good advice is challenging. We are at the forefront of those companies, and working with many of the experts. We feel proud of where we’re headed.

Moreover, to add to the perspectives regarding awareness of the importance of male contraception, Revolution Contraceptives—the team behind Vasalgel, the first long-acting, non-hormonal, reversible male contraceptive on the market—provide research that notes that more women would trust their committed partner to use contraception in long-term relationships. 

As well, 64% of couples around the globe used contraception in 2015, with contraceptive methods requiring male participation accounting for 16% of contraceptive practice worldwide for women 15-49 years who were married or in-union.

With technology progressing well and interest peaking, it is truly a tipping point moment that is ultimately missing from the male contraception movement moving at a rate commensurate to that of female sex tech is the presence of a pop-cultural tipping point. 

As noted, the third wave of feminism has dovetailed nicely with the women’s sex tech explosion. Similarly, in relation to the aforementioned boom eras for male contraception, the disco-fied free love and sex of the early 80s, as well as the new millennium wave of the early 2000s certainly played a part. 

Regarding this potential development, Logan Nickels says the following:

Anecdotally, men wanting to take a more involved role in family planning is the most ideal possible tipping point for this movement. People looking for methods for men are actively seeking options. Also, shifts in relationship dynamics and gender norms in the past decade have cemented the need for an empathetic world where men and women can work together for these [progressed] options. I think about kids in my 10-month old son’s generation who will be the users of these products. What will their needs be and how can we best service them?

Image source: Takmeomeo, Sarahmirk, TBIT

Marcus Dowling

Marcus K. Dowling is a kink-friendly journalist, broadcaster, and entrepreneur. In the past ten years, Marcus has written for VICE, Pitchfork, Complex, Red Bull, Bandcamp, Mixmag, ESPN's Undefeated, and more.
Previous Article

Why Are So Many People Faking Orgasms?

Next Article

This Augmented Reality Dating App Wants to ...

Related articles More from author

  • Sex Tech

    Couples’ Vibrator Tracks Performance and Gives Interactive Sex Tips

    June 9, 2015
    By Jenna Owsianik, Editor-in-Chief of FutureofSex.net
  • Sex Tech

    NY Sex Expo Highlights Sex Tech’s Diverse, Progressive Future

    October 1, 2019
    By Marcus K. Dowling
  • Remote SexSex TechVirtual Sex & Entertainment

    Sex Tech Hacker qDot Combines Video Games with Erotic Haptic Feedback

    February 4, 2020
    By M. Christian
  • Sex Tech

    Can Blockchains Actually Be Tools for Sexual Safety?

    April 19, 2017
    By M. Christian
  • Sex Tech

    How Sexual Dysfunction Inspired 3 Female Sex Tech Entrepreneurs

    December 15, 2019
    By Keats Iwanaga
  • Sex Tech

    HerSwab Lets Women Test Themselves for Cervical Cancer and HPV

    April 8, 2016
    By Kezia Lubanszky

  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment

    VR Sex Company Offers Kim Kardashian West $1M to Use Likeness

  • Sex Tech

    There’s a ‘Blackness Gap’ in Sex Tech–Here’s How We Can Fix It

  • Virtual SexVirtual Sex & Entertainment

    Virtual sex goes mainstream: Zynga launches The Ville

  • TOP REVIEWS

  • Realistic Sex Games

    Review of the Best Most Realistic Sex Games You Can Play [UPDATED]

    0
  • Multiplayer Online Sex Games

    Review of the Best Massively Multiplayer Online Sex Games

    0
  • Sex Games for Mac

    The Best Sex Games for Mac

    0
  • Best Sex Game Apps for Couples

    The Best Sex Game Apps for Couples for 2020 [Updated]

    0
  • The Best RPG Sex Games of 2020

    0

Like Us on Facebook

Latest Tweets

  • The new Ion stroker from @Arcwaveofficial excites pleasure receptors in the frenulum to give the sensation of femal… https://t.co/r6DjPo3Flr

    2 hours ago
  • In a press statement, @LoraDiCarlo_HQ denies claims of patent infringement, alleging the aim of WOW Tech Group's la… https://t.co/9en8yormEy

    17 hours ago
  • Expert insights on #sextech in 2021: *Jeff Bennett/@MedicalMorari *Dema Tio/@Vibease *Angelina Aleksandrovich/… https://t.co/xK2Sm1VY1u

    Jan 15, 2021
  • Seeking to enforce three of its patents covering Womanizer Pleasure Air Technology, WOW Tech Group has sued Lora D… https://t.co/HbjXn1JOij

    Jan 15, 2021
  • "Women have also faced significant shame and stigma around their sexuality and masturbation, and these conversation… https://t.co/EEMNuq4GaY

    Jan 13, 2021
Follow @futureofsex

Follow us

  • Home
  • About
  • ADVERTISE
  • Contribute
  • Story Ideas?
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2011 - 2020 Future Exploration Network
This website or its third-party tools use cookies to improve user experience and track affiliate sales. To learn more about why we need to use cookies, please refer to the Privacy Policy.

By clicking the agree button or continuing to browse through the website, you agree to the use of cookies. Accept Privacy Policy
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary