The Shriver Report – A Man on a Mission: Guys in the Know about Birth Control (Video)
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A Man on a Mission: Guys in the Know about Birth Control (Video)

Birth control is often seen as a woman’s issue – even though clearly the decision to have a baby or prevent a pregnancy should include both parties involved in the act. Which is why when we saw the first Bedsider video featuring Guy Nottadadi spewing important, practical information on topics that many guys seem to be lax about, we fell head-over-heels in love.

These are not your run-of-the-mill sex-ed videos you remember from middle school. Guy provides men with important facts they should know about the pill, the ring, implant and withdrawal methods, STDs, and emergency contraception – all while BBQing, playing paintball, sharking at pool and preparing for a date.

He’s pretty awesome at multitasking. See for yourself:

We tracked him down to see what got a guy so jazzed up about birth control. As you might imagine, he is full of surprises. Here is what he had to say.

 

TSR: How did you get involved with Bedsider and the idea for the videos come about?

One afternoon I was fast walking (yes, guys do this too) and I accidentally stumbled into a marathon and happened to pass all the runners and place first. A few people who work at Bedsider were there – they approached me afterwards and we totally clicked. Bedsider and I share a vision of a world in which every man will have at least a basic understanding of their options for avoiding pregnancy until they’re ready to become parents. Guys have been uninformed about birth control for far too long, and we wanted to put an end to that. I’m a pretty busy guy, so we had to multitask and shoot the videos while I was going through my normal day-to-day activities. While I get that the video series may seem pretty grand to some, to me it’s pretty much a documentary of my every day life.

TSR: Were you a bit hesitant or nervous to take them on?

I never hesitate and I never get nervous. I’m always deliberate and I’m always calm. My friends call it “delibracalm”. It’s a gift. I try to be sympathetic to guys who might worry that expertise about birth control could make them less manly – I just want them to know that nothing could be further from the truth.

TSR: Have you gotten any flack from your friends about them? (Come on, be honest.) What’s the best comment/remark you have received about the videos so far?

Look, my friends and I always joke around and give each other a hard time. I’ll never forget the time my friends razzed me for only being able to run a mile in sub-six minutes. However, I think the best comment I received so far was from my buddy Roger who said, “Dude, it’s cool that you are helping guys man up and learn about birth control, but COME ON, you’ve had to of played paintball before… right?” I’ll be honest, Roger is a great guy, he was my spotter when I climbed K2 – and I’ll never forget that, but he just doesn’t understand how sometimes I have a natural skill. Here’s the paintball video if you want to check it out.

TSR: Why do you think guys don’t know so much about this stuff?

I think guys think birth control is women’s stuff and tend to let their minds wander. This video series is here to say guys, birth control is not ladies-only information – you need this stuff too. Also, your ladies could use the extra support. I’m living proof that guys can learn about birth control – and trust me, guys, the ladies love it (can’t give the details, but trust me).

TSR: What do you hope comes from these videos?

Best-case scenario: we’ll usher in a new era of fewer unplanned pregnancies, better relationships, and better, safer sex. Worst-case scenario: guys just use this series to brush up on their athletic skills.

But in all seriousness, if only one guy thinks twice about leaving a condom in his sub-zero-degree glove compartment or offers to help with the cost of his girlfriend’s pill, I’ve done my job successfully.

TSR: Can you share some of the topics you still hope to cover?

Actually, I’ve had this crazy goal to swim the length of the world since I was 8, so I’m going to be spending time doing that along with some occasional lion taming. So that will keep me busy for a while. I think the topics we’ve covered are a great introduction to birth control and I hope that while I’m taking a break the guys we’ve reached will go to Bedsider.org or find another trustworthy resource to get even more information on birth control methods.

TSR: What topics have you covered?

Wow. Okay, well, I’ve skydived while cooking a French meal, wrestled bears, learned seven languages, learned to build a tree house in six hours… Wait, I just realized you’re probably talking about the birth control methods I’ve covered. Well, I’ve talked about why it’s important for guys to be informed, how pregnancy works, and a bunch of birth control methods. We’ve covered the pill, emergency contraception, the IUD, the implant, the ring, condoms, withdrawal, and male sterilization (a.k.a. vasectomy). You can watch ’em all here.

 

Guy Nottadadi is a man-about-world. Born outside in the cold while his parents were on a camping trip in Arctic Alaska, Guy is quick to adapt to his surroundings. He loves bear wrestling, skydiving, archery, cooking homemade jerky, and dominating all athletic activities (even ones he’s never tried before – except bowling). Guy graduated summa cum laude with a major in Romance Languages and a minor in Women’s Studies. He holds a Master’s degree in 18th Century Elizabethan Poetry. Guy is dedicated to helping men learn about birth control so that they can become manlier and more supportive for their ladies.

About Bedsider

Babies are great, when you’re ready.  Until then there’s Bedsider.  Bedsider is an online birth control support network designed to make birth control easier. Whether women and their partners are considering birth control for the first time or already on it, Bedsider has everything they need to find the best method, stay on it, and use it successfully. That includes an easy, visual way to explore and compare every available method of birth control; videos of real women and men describing their personal experiences with each method; birth control and appointment reminders sent by text or email; award-winning animated shorts that debunk common contraception myths; and the most comprehensive list available of where to get birth control ever compiled. And it’s completely free thanks to The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. See what we’re up to at bedsider.org.