In 1839, Charles Goodyear came up with a simple rubber invention that changed everything. Not the tire – that had already been around for years before. No, this small rubber flap was the world’s first condom: a simple, snug-fitting device…
The contraceptive debate: IUDs vs. birth control pills
Birth control: because you don’t want to get pregnant. Okay, so that was a brash generalization because as most of us know, birth control can be used for purposes other than baby prevention. Once you’ve decided to go on birth…
Male birth control shot: what men really think
BY: CHARLOTTE LEFAVE Birth control: a necessary evil for everyone hoping to avoid driving a gaggle of their genetic copies to soccer practice for the next 18 years. Up to this point in history, men have really only had two…
A certified birth control app, Natural Cycles, could revolutionize family planning
BY: ELIJAH BASSETT Reproductive rights are in a delicate place right now, with funding and support for organizations like Planned Parenthood being rolled back both in America and internationally. Access to things like abortion and conventional birth control will likely…
The bullshit reasons why contraceptives are so expensive
BY: CHARLOTTE LEFAVE There have been countless debates in countries all over the world on the costs of contraceptives for women. Prices are sky high and getting a hold of these products is an infamously awkward and time-consuming experience. Condoms,…
Male birth control is abandoned after men complain about negative side effects that women face daily
BY: SAMANTHA TAPP Birth control has always been a woman’s responsibility since its first ever approval as an oral contraceptive in the United States in 1960. Giving women the opportunity to control pregnancy was revolutionary, and has only grown in…
Can technology and phone apps really help improve women’s health?
BY: CAROLINE ROLF There seems to be a combination of ignorance and prudishness around the distinctive and amazing functions of the female body, which is odd, considering half the people on this planet are born with one. In recent years…
The illegal Birth Control book written by teens and distributed across college campuses
BY: JESSICA BEUKER In 1968, The Birth Control Handbook surfaced, printed by students at McGill University and making waves across North America. At this time all forms of contraception, including information and education on the topic, were illegal. For as…
Birth control stole years of my life; here’s how I’m getting them back
BY: KATE SLOAN I’ve been on hold with the distress centre for seventeen minutes, and I can’t stop crying. My heart is beating a manic tattoo, my eyes are swollen and red, and my breathing’s definitely too fast to be…
In 2017, birth control for men will hit the market
BY: BRITTANY ROSEN In 2017 the Parsemus Foundation will be releasing Vasalgel: a contraceptive for men. If you’re a female and you’ve been on the pill all this time, you can look forward to sharing the responsibility with guys. The relief…