A new legislative proposal in Ohio is poised to fine men up to $10,000 for ejaculating without intending to conceive a child. The bill, introduced by Democratic House Representative Anita Somani, takes aim at men’s reproductive choices in a manner intended to mirror the restrictions many states have placed on women’s reproductive health.

Somani, stressing that pregnancy is by definition a two-party affair, argues that men who contribute to unwanted pregnancies should face legal consequences comparable to those imposed on women.

“You don’t get pregnant on your own,” she said. “If you’re going to penalise someone for an unwanted pregnancy, why not penalise the person who is also responsible for the pregnancy?”

Under the proposed Conception Begins at Erection Act, the simple act of “discharging semen without the intent to fertilise” would become a crime, unless it meets certain exceptions. These include protected intercourse using contraceptives, sperm donation, masturbation, or same-sex activity among the LGBTQ+ community that is incapable of producing ova.

In other words, it is intended to crack down on unprotected sex not directed toward procreation.

The concept of the bill originated in Mississippi, first proposed by State Senator Bradford Blackmon. The bill died on the committee level last week.

Since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, states have exercised broader authority to craft their own abortion laws. While Ohio voters recently approved a measure protecting abortion, birth control, fertility treatments, and post-miscarriage care by a convincing 57% to 43% margin, anti-abortion activists suggest that a total ban on abortion could still resurface.

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