Should men be charged for masturbation?

Masturbation is a sexual act common to both men and women, but a proposed bill in Texas seeks to fine men $100 for masturbating.

Jessica Farrar, a Texas state representative, is pushing the ‘Man’s Right to Know Act’, a bill that requires all men to be penalised for any semen they produce outside of sex.

The legislation presents men’s “unregulated masturbatory emissions” as “an act against an unborn child, and failing to preserve the sanctity of life.”

The bill also seeks to provide men with a safe and healthy environment during vasectomies and regulate Viagra prescription and colonoscopies.

It is believed that the bill is now closer to becoming law after it was referred to the house state affairs committee earlier on Tuesday.

Farrar introduced the bill in 2017 as a satire against Texas’ restrictive laws on women’s reproductive rights.

Women and doctors are expected to follow procedures stipulated in “A Woman’s Right To Know” booklet before abortions are allowed.

One of the rules in the booklet states that women seeking an abortion must undergo trans-vaginal ultrasounds where they listen to the foetus’ heartbeat.

The booklet which also contains information on child support facilities would be reviewed with women seeking abortions by their doctor. Doctors who default on any of the rules indicated on the booklet will be fined $10,000.

This procedure may subtly influence a woman’s decision to have an abortion or choose other alternatives.

However, many have argued that this is a form of guilt mechanism and an undue control by legislators over women reproductive rights.

Legislators in southern Georgia have also approved a bill banning abortion after the first heartbeat of a foetus is heard.

In a congratulatory statement, Brian Kemp, governor of the southern state, said the bill proves that ‘Georgia value lives”.

It is this similar premise that Farrar uses to justify her proposed ‘Man’s Right to Know Act.’

As more legislation restricting women’s right to abortion surface, one would wonder if Farrar’s bill is an attempt to preserve “an unborn child” or a merely exaggerated bill.

There is a question on how this law would be executed if passed to law, especially when it comes to identifying ‘defaulters’ who masturbate outside clinical facilities.

Besides, if men who masturbate for sexual arousal are charged, should women who engage in the same act for sexual pleasures be charged too?

From all indications, the bill seems unrealistic and except a more ‘holistic approach’ is introduced, it might be impossible to implement.