Sexual and Reproductive Health for everyone, including men

MSc Health and International Development student, Abhijit Dhillon examines the overlooked crisis of men’s sexual and reproductive health, exposing how stigma, toxic masculinity, and policy blind spots fuel broader public health risks. Arguing for a paradigm shift, Dhillon challenges toxic masculinity and calls for inclusive SRHR advocacy that leaves no one behind.

Where Are the Men in SRHR?

When we talk
about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), we are mostly talking
about women. Conversations revolve around
contraception, maternal health, abortion rights, and gender-based violence. And
while these are very critical issues, there is one glaring gap: men’s SRHR. However,
ignoring men’s SRHR has serious implications for everyone.

For decades, the
global SRHR movement has framed men as “partners” in women’s reproductive
health—encouraging them to support contraception use, maternal care, and family
planning. That is important, but risks minimising the SHRR needs of men, which
in turn has serious overall health implications. Why do we rarely talk about
male infertility, STIs, erectile dysfunction, and the overall lack of male SRHR
healthcare?

This neglect is not just an oversight— it is a systemic issue. And right now, when anti-rights movements are actively attacking SRHR, we cannot afford to leave any gaps in our advocacy. Because when we don’t talk about men’s SRHR, we leave space for regressive forces to twist the conversation and reinforce harmful gender norms.

The SRHR Blind
Spot: Why Men’s Health Matters

Let’s dig into this and why there is a lack of attention to men’s
SRHR, and why that needs to change. Several factors play into this.

The
‘Real Men Don’t Need Help’ Myth

Ever heard a guy
say, “I don’t need to see a doctor, I’m fine”—even when he’s clearly not fine?
That is “masculinity” talking. Men are often conditioned to believe that
seeking help—especially for sexual health—is a sign of weakness.
This means many suffer in silence when dealing with infertility, STIs,
performance anxiety, or other sexual health concerns.

The
‘Gupt Rog’ Problem

In India, for
instance, men’s sexual health issues are often lumped into the category of gupt–rog (secret diseases), making it something to be whispered about or,
worse, not addressed at all. Instead of seeking professional medical care, many
men turn to unregulated traditional healers or self-proclaimed ‘sex doctors’
who offer dubious treatments—often doing more harm than good.

Infertility
is Not Just a “Women’s Problem”

Here is a stat
you probably won’t come across in most conversations: male infertility accounts for nearly 50% of all
infertility cases. Yet, in many
cultures, infertility is automatically blamed on women. Men often refuse to get
tested, and even when they do, the stigma is so high that seeking treatment
feels impossible.

Masculinity
and Risky Sexual Behaviours

Research shows that men
who strongly conform to traditional “masculine” norms are more likely to engage
in risky sexual behaviours—like not using condoms or having multiple partners.
At the same time, they are less likely to seek SRH services. Why is that?
Because masculinity teaches them that “real men” should be dominant, sexually
virile, and invulnerable. This, unsurprisingly, increases STI rates and creates
a ripple effect in public health.

The
Healthcare System Isn’t Built for Men’s SRHR

Most reproductive
health services are designed for women. For
example, family planning clinics are focused on contraception for women and sexual
health programs often assume men are there only as partners or “supporters” of
women’s reproductive health. This leads to neglect men who need medical
attention themselves.

Anti-Rights Movements and the Weaponization of
Masculinity

The anti-rights movement—whether
it’s attacks on reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ rights, or bodily autonomy—thrives
on weaponizing traditional masculinity. This is especially apparent in the way
right-wing groups frame SRHR. They often position it as a “feminist” or
“leftist” agenda that threatens traditional gender roles. They push the idea
that men need to be “strong” protectors of the family, which means rejecting
anything that suggests vulnerability—including sexual and reproductive
healthcare.

This narrative
does reinforce harmful gender norms—pressuring men to suppress their health
needs and discouraging them from seeking care. It also erases the real SRHR
needs of men—leaving them vulnerable to untreated health conditions while also
keeping them disengaged from conversations about gender equality. Thus, by
ignoring men’s SRHR, we hand over power to anti-rights groups, allowing them to
use masculinity as a weapon against progress. We need to reclaim that
narrative.

Beyond ‘Men as Partners’: A Paradigm Shift in
SRHR

The global health
community has spent decades pushing the “men as partners” approach—getting men
to support women’s SRHR. But we need to go further. We need to complement this
with a “men as clients” approach, where men’s own SRHR needs are recognized and
addressed. This is not just about fairness—it is about public health. It would
firstly require smashing the stigma about SRHR through public health campaigns
that normalize men seeking care for sexual and reproductive health. Sex
education that includes boys and teaches them about their bodies, consent, and
their right to SRHR healthcare, is crucial in this regard. Secondly, this would
necessitate the establishment of more SRHR services tailored to male SRHR
needs. In this regard, important policy changes would be necessary to ensure
that SRHR services include infertility treatment, STI prevention, mental health
support and any other context-specific SRH services for men.

The Road Ahead: Taking Action Now

For anyone
looking for a roadmap of action, I would propose to:

1. Challenge toxic masculinity—because as long as “real men don’t need help”, we won’t see real change.
2. Start talking about men’s SRHR—in policy, in advocacy, in everyday conversations.
3. Push for inclusive healthcare—demand that SRHR services cater to men’s needs.
4. Call out the anti-rights agenda—don’t let them use masculinity as a tool to roll back SRHR progress.
5. SRHR is for everyone. It’s time we act like it.

The views expressed in this post are those of the author and in no way reflect those of the International Development LSE blog or the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Featured image credit: MD Duran via Unsplash. Free to use under the Unsplash License.