Representatives Anita Somani of Ohio and Tristan Rader introduced the “Conception Begins at Erection Act” to hold men accountable for their role in conception by imposing heavy fines on men who ejaculate without intent to produce offspring. The bill, also referred to as the “Anti-Nutting Law,” has created intense controversy over gender equality in reproduction laws.
The proposed bill envisions a system of tiered penalties for men who “ejaculate or deposit genetic material without intent to fertilize an embryo”:
- $1,000 fine for a first offense
- $5,000 fine for a repeat offender
- $10,000 fine for repeat offenses
However, the bill outlines several exceptions where such penalties would not apply, including:
- The use of contraception (e.g., condoms)
- Sperm donation
- Masturbation
- Sexual activities between two or more people that cannot produce offspring, i.e., between same sex partners
While not to be passed in the Republican-controlled legislature, the bill is a direct challenge to laws that strictly limit women’s control over their reproduction without similarly addressing men’s accountability in conception.
Ohio is not the initial state to introduce such a bill. In January of 2025, Mississippi State Senator Bradford Blackmon introduced a comparable bill that seeks to shed light on discrepancies in reproductive regulation. The efforts came after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in 2022 to strike down Roe v. Wade, resulting in a spate of tough abortion laws across different states. The proposals, proponents argue, put a spotlight on the discrepancies in reproductive health in the law, though their detractors label them political stunts.
The bill was received with a polarized response from legislators, interest groups, and the public at large: Supporters argue that it brings to light the hypocrisy of existing reproductive laws. “If women can be legally restricted and sanctioned over reproduction decisions, then men should be held responsible too,” Representative Somani said.
Critics, particularly conservatives, view the bill as a hyperbolic distraction. Austin Beigel of End Abortion Ohio said that the proposed bill is “an absurd waste of legislative time” that downplays serious biological and ethical questions.
Given Ohio’s Republican-held legislature, it won’t be passed. However, it has already served its purpose: to spark a national dialogue around reproductive rights and legislative equality. Such satirical bills have been used in the past to push back against restrictive abortion legislations, though their impact is symbolic in nature.
