Interview With A Menz #prochoice

Last night I had a conversation with someone who is not just a colleague but a friend of mine. A male friend of mine.

He is a good person, does lots of good work for the community, and is a regular Mr Nice Guy.

But he had been reading about girls as young as 13 getting contraceptive jabs at school And he had questions.

What follows is a transcript of our conversation. I reproduce it to show two things. One, there is still a LOT of misinformation out there and two, everyone can be taught if they ask and are prepared to listen.

Oh and that feminism isn't about treating men as if they were stupid.

I know that's 3 things. Shut up. It's been a long day.

What to call him? Don't want to say 'him'....

Dave, we'll call him Dave.

Dave:
6.5% of 15 year old girls in Bristol are given a contraceptive jab in school.... hmmmm

Me:
Should be all of them who request it. Teenagers will have sex. If we educate them there will be less teenage pregnancy and fewer abortions.

Dave:
and more STDs as they will be using the jab instead of condoms

Me:
Nope. The evidence suggests the opposite. Young women who are given the jab along with education about contraception in general are MORE likely to insist on condoms.

Dave:
so why have the jab then? am I just thick?

Me:
The jab makes things double safe. No contraception is 100% Condoms do split. It's like wearing a jumper and coat.
Also the bigger picture is that there will be some of these young women who will be crying with relief because they now can't get pregnant by abusive family members.
Of course the biggest picture is that of a woman chooses to have the jab it is her choice alone and whatever the reason we have no right to interfere.

Dave:
Fair enough, just seems to be encouraging them to break the law
(obviously there are some, as you have said, who have no choice... but I'm not on about them)

Me:
It's also protection from pregnancy through rape.
It's not encouraging them to break the law. It is encouraging them to take ownership of their own reproduction.
Another interesting fact is that most under 16 year olds who have it will still wait till they're legally old enough.
It is a back up plan.
Sometimes it is used to regulate periods.
Having the jab isn't about license to shag.

Dave:
ok, its just the article suggests that the jab has led to a drop in teenage pregnancy
so presumably before a lot of them were having un-protected (or failed-protected) sex

Me:
Yep. But they don't just hand out the jab. It comes with education and counseling.
They're also tested for chlamydia and the like.
It's a real program of prevention being better than cure.

Dave:
cool

Me:
I think so!

So there you have it. Questions asked, answered and understanding reached.

If only some other Menz were like 'Dave'.