When you’re in the minority party in a state completely controlled by the majority, it’s safe to say any potentially controversial pieces of legislation you propose aren’t going anywhere. However, you can still write bills in order to send a message or to show what you would do if voters put you in power. That’s why House Democrats have passed an anti-corruption bill to get money out of politics that Senate Republicans and Donald Trump will never consider (and which House Republicans unanimously opposed) … because corruption and money is how many of them get elected.

In Georgia, Republicans control the legislature and governor’s mansion, which leaves Democrats mostly in a position to make statements. But that’s what Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick is doing in a brilliant way. In response to a bill supported primarily by men that would ban abortions if a fetal heartbeat is detected — something that happens before some women even know they’re pregnant — Kendrick proposed a bill that would allow her to control things that go on in male bodies.

Her “Testicular Bill of Rights” is really something to behold.

Ggggooooodddd morning! Introducing my "testicular bill of rights" legislative package. You want some regulation of bodies and choice? Done! pic.twitter.com/5E8HBRSc9l — Dar'shun Kendrick (@DarshunKendrick) March 11, 2019

It includes, among many male-focused proposals, legislation requiring men to obtain permission from their sex partner before they get a prescription for any erectile dysfunction medication, allowing men who have sex without a condom to be charged with aggravated assault, and imposing a 24-hour “waiting period” for men who want to purchase any pornography or sex toys in the state of Georgia.

It would also ban vasectomies and require baby daddies to pay child support six weeks and one day after the pregnancy begins.

The bill hasn’t been officially introduced yet, but Kendrick insists there’s still a point.

“I’ll get signatures on it, or not — I might be the only signature. That’s fine,” she says. The cut-off date to submit legislation for this calendar year has already passed, so “it doesn’t have a chance of passing this year,” she adds. “But I already know that it doesn’t have a chance of passing any year.”

Okay, so it’s only a symbol, but her point is obvious: It’s absurd to think the government should control men’s bodies when it comes to choices that are so personal, and the same principle ought to apply to women.

I’m personally a bigger fan of what a Democrat did in Texas in 2017 for similar reasons. Her bill required men to pay $100 every time they masturbated, forced doctors to verbally discuss an informational booklet with men whenever they wanted to buy Viagra, and prevented men from buying Viagra until 24 hours had passed since their initial consultation.

That bill didn’t go anywhere either.

(Image via Shutterstock. Thanks to everyone for the link)

