When birth control pills became widely available, they sent a ripple effect throughout our society. For the first time, women could not only reliably avoid the risk of pregnancy, they had, in essence, the freedom that men had to have sex whenever they wanted it. The miracle they had dreamed about didn’t cause a disruption the way other methods of birth control did. And the pill was easy to use. All a woman had to do was remember to take it.
For others, however, it had different implications. Its use brought up questions about vulnerability, self-esteem, and attractiveness. Sex before any notion of commitment was made possible by the pills. With the license to have “safe” intercourse (a very different term twenty years ago, meaning without the risk of pregnancy), a woman could enjoy at least in theory, uncomplicated sex. But, as we know, sex is never an uncomplicated matter.
I’m drawing a comparison between birth control pills and the oral intervention for ED for very specific reasons. Ironically, the problems that now afflict men with ED may soon have an unprecedented impact on their partners. Those very questions that haunt men concerning confidence, sex appeal, and worthiness could easily be transferred to women once the pill is a part of their lives. The inevitable question will arise: “Is it the pill that’s turning him on—or is it me?”
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