Too often contraception is a woman's business. "Better Birth Control" wants to change that: Jana and Rita and their team are promoting education, calling for equal methods for women and men and more attention to the topic. We met Jana – our strong woman in January – for a chat and talked to her about visions of the future, macho men and the pill.
Jana Pfenning and Rita Maglio think: Equal rights in contraception? There is still something going on! And founded "Better Birth Control" in 2020: together with their team, which also includes a gynecologist and a researcher, they want to turn the previous methods of contraception upside down. They are convinced that every person – regardless of whether they are women, men, non-binary or trans people – should be able to determine their own body, his or her sexuality and of course also about contraception. Because: It should be possible to live out sexuality without fear of unintentional pregnancies.
Where there is a will, there's a way
Jana and Rita not only demand better information about our previous options for contraception, but also that the cost of contraceptives be covered in full by the health insurance companies – and a reduction in side effects, for example with the pill. Although around 47 percent of all women and men have chosen the contraceptive pill as a method of contraception, little research has been carried out into it or its side effects since the 1960s.
On the contrary: "The third and fourth generation pills that were developed between 2000 and 2010 have more side effects and a higher risk of thrombosis than the first and second generation pills that came on the market earlier," says Jana. This is due to the fact that pharmaceutical companies are increasingly marketing the pill as a lifestyle product – and with desired side effects such as clear skin or beautiful hair, the list of harmful side effects also grows.
Contraception shouldn't be a "woman's business"
You don't take a pill Most of us have probably heard that sentence. And that's because contraception is often seen as a woman's business. An absurdity, we think – but this is also justified by the fact that men don't even have half as many options for contraception as we women. Because: Even today, the condom is the only recognized contraceptive for our partner.
And here, too, "Better Birth Control" wants to start: Jana tells us that with the campaign she wants to give men more self-determination and freedom.
We work with you. We work for you.
Especially during the test phase, the two of them often got feedback from friends and acquaintances that men like to support them – but please not if it sounds like a reproach. This is another reason why "Better Birth Control" wants to deal openly and honestly with crude Instagram comments: everyone gets an answer to his or her question, even if the comment scolds everything the campaign stands for. This is the only way to eliminate misunderstandings.
Alternatives are being researched – but with what emphasis?
Jana and Rita prove on their website betterbirthcontrol.org that the previous possibilities cannot be the best: Here, in addition to helpful educational material, they also list possible contraceptive methods for men. For example: the contraceptive injection that would have to be injected once a month. And which caused side effects in every tenth participant in the clinical study. We women can only laugh painfully about that. The study was stopped in 2011 because the administration of placebos is prohibited for ethical reasons.
We strongly believe that side effects can be reduced if more money is invested in research.
Also included: the pill for men, the spermatic duct valve and the vasal gel. Each contraceptive method is described in its effectiveness, and Better Birth Control also indicates why the respective product is not yet on the market. What becomes particularly clear is that there is often a lack of funding, persistence and the will to stick with it. Because only two percent of sales of contraceptives are spent on research. A comparison: for many other drugs it is around 20 percent.
Equality, education, system change
Better Birth Control has set up a petition to finally, finally, change something. This is aimed at Health Minister Jens Spahn, among others, but also at Franziska Giffey, Federal Minister for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth. The main question of the petition:
Isn't it time for side-effect-free contraception methods for men and women?
So far, nearly 70,000 people have signed the petition. There are more every second. And that's not only because Jana and Rita have not only their great team but also well-known supporters by their side, but also because a rethink is more than overdue! You can sign the petition here.
Jana says: "Contraception is something great. It has given us so much freedom, it still gives us so much freedom – but it can be better, it can be more equal." At the end we asked her what word she would use to describe contraception. For once, the result is two: "Security. And freedom."