Yes, you’re right. The title, while biologically accurate, was intended to be jarring and to bring readers in. Regarding your 50/50 comment, that sounds lovely. Would you say 50/50 responsibility is what’s happening with birth control right now? Because it’s not. It’s not even close.

I think people are good and want to do the right thing. Both men and women. There are a lot of men who don’t take on the responsibility of birth control, and seem to be content letting women carry the burden. Is it because they are evil men trying to hurt women? Of course not. As a society, for whatever reason, (maybe because we have a deeply patriarchal culture?), we haven’t asked men to pay attention to it, and assumed women would/should carry the risks and burdens.

If my essay gets more men to take on their fair share of birth control responsibility — especially keeping in mind that male birth control options are healthier and easier than female birth control options—that would be a great thing. If my essay helps people recognize that we shame women for unwanted pregnancies but don’t shame men (there’s no need to shame either men or women!), that would be a great thing. And if my essay helps people across the political spectrum bypass the abortion conversation, which divides us so deeply, and brings people together to talk about prevention, to my mind, that is also a great thing.