Two Ohio state representatives are hitting back at anti-abortion legislation with a bill they say would protect women’s rights.
The Huffington Post reports that Democrats Anita Somani and Tristan Rader have introduced legislation called the “Conception Begins at Erection Act,” which would make it a crime for men to have unprotected sex if having a baby isn’t the goal.
Under the proposed bill, men would be hit with a felony if they “discharge genetic material” for pleasure and not conception.
The bill doesn’t apply to men who use protection, masturbate, donate sperm, or are part of the LGBTQ community.
Somani, who is also a gynecologist, admitted in an editorial for the Columbus Dispatch that the proposed legislation is “ludicrous.”
“Is my bill offensive because it dares to attack men?" she wrote. "Maybe, but again, as an OB/GYN, I’m against regulating anyone’s reproductive rights."
Somani also spoke with CBS Cleveland affiliate WOIO.
“What other right do you know of where women have different rights based on where they live versus men?” she asked. “If I live in a state that protects reproductive rights, I have more rights than somebody who lives in a state where reproductive rights have been restricted.”
Another bill with the same name has been offered in the Mississippi legislature, though men wouldn’t receive jail time. Instead, they would have to pay fines up to $10,000, depending on how many times they committed the offense.
