Performance vs. Protection: Performance Gets the Win

In sitting down to write an article, a commercial blared on TV. I stopped my tick-tap typing to join my parents in watching; it was an advertisement I had seen many times. On primetime TV, male performance enhancing drugs permeate the airwaves (not to mention joining the ranks of reverse balding drugs and beer commercials during televised sport events).

Seeing this ad for the billionth time, it got me thinking. I have not seen an advertisement for female birth control in some time. And, come to think of it, the last time I had seen one, it was shoved into middle-of-the-day broadcasting that few watch.

Now, I obviously have to take into consideration the target audience; it is unlikely a middle aged man is watching TV in the middle of the day, but will be more likely to in the evening. Young women, particularly teenage girls, will be more likely to be watching in the middle of the day, especially since it is summer.

Having said this, and already knowing the target audiences, I began thinking about all the screen time devoted to both. Male performance enhancing drugs definitely take the cake. Not only this, they advertise with slogans such as “It’s those little things she still does that make you take notice…” targeting happily married middle aged men. But all men are encouraged to take these and it is made easy for them to obtain them.

As in my case, I’m sure most of you can recall the last time you saw a male performance enhancing drug advertisement over the last time you recall watching a birth control commercial. It’s simple—birth control, though it is the acclaimed Miracle Pill, is still somewhat of a taboo subject.

Women’s access to information, birth control, and feminine health care is being diminished whereas male performance enhancements are becoming very popular and very public. They have become primetime.

I have not wished to write something incendiary; the analytical juices just starting flowing when seeing the latest Cialis ad. If a man has a medical problem, he should seek help from his doctor. The same goes for a woman who needs information on birth control or anything else in women’s health. Everyone needs to be informed. Man or woman, boy or girl, this is something that needs to be discussed—at the family, community, and national level. Men are performing for longer—shouldn’t women be able to seek protection at the same rate?

Sources: ABC NEWS, “3rd Female Lawmaker Targets Viagra in Response to Antiabortion Laws” by Enjoli Francis