Debunked: Do oral contraceptives make you dig girly-men?

There are many things that could drive a person toward unsafe relationships and toxic, hyper-masculine men, but birth control pills of all things do not make the list. In a book by a doctor in the sketchy field “evolutionary psychology” called Sara E Hill, she claims that women on birth control are attracted to men with more “feminized” traits, and goes on to illustrate these characteristics with words and phrases typically ascribed by jocks and homophobes looking for someone to pulverize—

Oopsies! The nominal liberation of the 60s was a big mistake. Mother Nature says only feckless blowhards for you. Kick those soy beta cucks out of bed NOW! Every second he doesn’t spend choking you without consent is a second he’s wasting your best years.

The problem: There’s no mechanism through which hormonal treatments can change anything fundamental to our personalities or our life choices. The real kicker— the evidence cited in the book does not even support Hill’s claims— a pattern seen among those who chronically spew eye-grabbing garbage.

Individuals with the potential to become pregnant are being gaslighted into believing oral contraceptives are an untested, unsafe poison being pushed by unscrupulous physicians. This web-mythology is the kind that robs people of their identity, of their ability to give, or revoke, informed consent. Their reasoning is decompensated. To think that someone's entire self-concept, from their personality to their values, can be managed by a hormonal treatment, while other drugs that specifically target brain chemistry don’t even have that power, is absurd. That these lies are being spread on ideological grounds to well-intentioned people whose health hangs in the balance is unconscionable. 

Incels and Trad Wives, who peddle traditionalist purity culture and believe the hetero-misogynistic fairytales of alpha males and hypergamy, have eagerly absorbed these falsehoods to ‘confirm’ their toilet-read philosophies. They push their audiences into a frantic race to become people of so-called “high value.” They believe women are inherently sought after for beauty, submissiveness, and fertility, while men are valued by their physical virility, and the security associated with a high income. These narratives are accompanied by poor studies with catch lines like “science shows women are less sexually attracted to partners who help with household chores.” If you’ve ever heard a man bellowing about testosterone levels and birth rates, this is the poisoned well by which his mind has been tainted.

Key points

1. There is no evidence to support the claim that oral contraceptives (birth control pills) cause changes in personality or lead women to be attracted to men with more feminized traits
2. The idea that birth control pills can fundamentally alter a person's personality or life choices is not supported by any scientific mechanism.
3. Other drugs that affect brain chemistry do not have the power to change the fundamental structure of personality, aside from occasional acute reactions or episodes.
4. The myth that birth control pills can alter personality or behavior is spread by individuals and groups with toxic, hyper-masculine ideologies, such as incels and trad wives.
5. These myths are often used to support monist beliefs about gender roles and sexual attraction.
6. Anti-birth control misinformation is currently being spread on social media platforms, such as TikTok.
7. Birth control pills are an important and safe option for many people, including women and individuals with uteruses.
8. It is important to critically evaluate claims about the effects of birth control pills and other medications, and to seek out reliable sources of information.
9. Misinformation about birth control can have serious consequences, including reducing access to and undermining confidence in a vital form of healthcare.
10. It is essential to protect and defend people's physical identity and agency in making healthcare decisions.

The science is clear and consistent.

Modern oral contraceptives, also known as birth control pills or simply "the pill," have been around since the 1960s. The first oral contraceptive was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1960. It was developed by Dr. Gregory Pincus and Dr. John Rock, with support from philanthropist Katherine McCormick. The pill was initially only available to married women, but this restriction was later lifted. Today, oral contraceptives are used by millions of women worldwide to prevent unintended pregnancies.

The social acceptance of oral contraceptives has varied over the decades since their introduction. In the 1960s, the pill was seen as a major advancement for women's reproductive rights and helped to facilitate the sexual revolution of the time. However, the pill was not without controversy. Some people opposed the pill on moral or religious grounds, and there were also concerns about its safety.

Over time, the safety and effectiveness of oral contraceptives improved, and they became more widely accepted. In the 1970s, the pill was made available to single women in some countries, and by the 1980s, it was widely available to all women. Today, oral contraceptives are generally accepted as a safe and effective means of birth control, and they are used by millions of women worldwide.