From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!ariel!hou5f!hou5b!hou5c!hou5e!hou5a!hou5d!hogpc!houxm!u1100a!sdo
Newsgroups: net.singles
Title: Reply to flames about my sponge article
Article-I.D.: u1100a.319
Posted: Mon Apr 11 08:47:34 1983
Received: Tue Apr 12 01:40:11 1983

I'd like to thank the three people on the net who didn't post a vicious
response to my article on the Sponge contraceptive.*

In a previous article (u1100a.316) I stated some facts about the sponge
and then said:

	If this discussion is going to continue, it probably belongs
	in net.women.

One person replied:

"	If this discussion is going to continue, it probably belongs
	in net.women.

				Scott Orshan
			Bell Labs Piscataway
			201-981-3064
			houxm!u1100a!sdo

"

I OBJECT! one of the MAIN reasons the effectiveness rate for all contraceptives
is lower than the "theoretical" rate is just this attitude that the WOMAN
should worry about it...... keep this in net.singles! (note: I am not implying
that only women read net.women, I am implying that this is NOT an issue for
women only)

(flame off...)

Another said:

How many of you think that birth control is the responsibility of the
woman only?
I don't.  As a woman,  I would much rather be the one to use it, since
I could be sure that I was being responsible for it.  However, I think
it is a matter of concern to both people in a relationship (or in a
one-night stand).  Not all women are especially responsible about
such things... 

And a third said:

...
As Scott Orshan mentioned, these are *usually* rates for actual use, taking
into account mistakes by the users (but read the fine print to be sure!).
Incidentally, Scott, taking the discussion to net.women implies only women
need be concerned or informed about birth control.  Sorry, I don't buy that.

I now respond:

1)  I'm sure most people understood what I meant.  Any misunderstandings
    should be resolved by personal mail.

2)  Please re-read u1100a.316. I never said it was WOMEN that misused
    contraceptives, or that WOMEN were solely responsible for their use.
    A man can misuse his contraceptive just as well as a woman can
    misuse hers.  Anyway, this IS NOT a discussion of contraception;
    it is a discussion of the SPONGE contraceptive.  I love the way
    people misread, generalize, fabricate, and accuse.

3)  Mostly single, not married, people read net.singles.  Mostly
    men, not women, read net.women.  I was trying to transfer the
    discussion to a place where married people could read it.
    I would guess that more net.singles readers read net.women
    than the other way around.  (Anyway, single people shouldn't
    be having s_x.  It's disgusting and immoral. :-) )

    A more recent article wisely suggested that the discussion
    should be in net.med.  I should have thought of that first.

4)  Unlike those who flamed immediately, I placed my brain in the RUN
    position before replying.  Notice how I didn't use any names in
    the quotes above?

5)  All is forgiven.

*)  For the smart come-back at the front of this article I owe thanks
    to William Safire who quoted the originator, Bernard Levin of the
    Times of London, in his column.

			As always, I sign off with my name, address,
			and phone number so that you can REPLY
			PERSONALLY.

			Scott Orshan
			Bell Labs Piscataway
			201-981-3064
			houxm!u1100a!sdo