how much do you know about gametes (yours or others)?
and why should you care?!
hey & happy november!
we are just gonna dive right in here. this month i made a zine all about gametes AND (like most of my zines) so many other things. to start, what is a gamete. to second, why should you care?
a gamete is an organism’s reproductive cells, also called ‘sex cells.’ plants have them, animals have them, and humans have them! gametes are called different things for different life forms—in humans the gametes are called eggs (ova) and sperm.
eggs and sperm have the necessary DNA to make another human! whoa! in order to do that a few things need to happen:
sperm cells need to enter the cervix, either through intercourse or insemination.
the sperm swim through the uterus and find the egg, wayyyy down at the end of the uterine tubes.
during fertilization, one sperm fuses with one egg creating what’s called a zygote.
that bundle of cells travels through the uterine tube and implants into the endometrium (the uterine lining)—once that happens
pregnancy has occurred!
why should you care?
well, maybe you don't. and that's okay too. but if we dig a little deeper into the differences between eggs and sperm there is, i think, a LOT to care about. to start with, ovulation only occurs once per menstrual cycle. the egg (or eggs), once released, can only live about 24 hours. sperm can survive in the cervix during the days leading up to ovulation as well, but when it comes down to it the 'fertile window' of someone who has eggs in their body is fairly short.
on the other hand... people who have sperm in their bodies are fertile 24/7. EVERY ejaculation could possibly make another human.
so here's where it gets interesting: why, my friends, are basically ALL the birth control methods geared towards shutting down the fertility of the person who isn't actually fertile every single day? why do people with eggs have to carry the emotional, mental, and physical weight of family planning, while people with sperm in their bodies really only have three options (condoms, withdrawal, vasectomy) and often think about family planning much less? THAT my dear readers, is—from what i can tell—the result of patriarchy and sexism.
if you are a person who has eggs in your body and are partnered with someone who has sperm, i think it's worth having these conversations. and if you’re a person with sperm in your body partnered with someone who has eggs, it’s time to get educated!
learning about anatomy & bodies can help jumpstart these important conversations for all bodies. having this information in your brain can help create balance & empowerment in our relationships with others & with our beautiful selves.
ready to start learning? here are some options:
some journal / conversation prompts to get you started:
how do you feel about your current birth control options?
in your relationship(s) who pays for birth control?
who carries the physical, mental, emotional weight of family planning?
what would feel balanced in terms of family planning?
join my patreon & receive this month’s zine which is all about gametes (while also supporting my work and supporting community care)
take a class! my reproductive anatomy 1:1 virtual class is on sale for the month of november for $50, you can sign up right here right now!