By Jonathan Stack
As it happens, Valentine’s Day comes 3 months after WVD (usually mid November) which is just about the minimum time recommended by doctors to get tested for sperm and, assuming all went well, have full confidence – with proof – that you’re now able to have sex without fear of pregnancy. Our idea was to convince hotels to give a post-Vasectomy Valentine’s Day discount to couples who show up with a ‘proof of procedure’ card for a night of worry free sex*.
That didn’t happen, yet, but it’s still an idea for a future WVD celebration….
What did happen was that, moved to action by the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Tombras agency approached us this past December. They believe that getting men to be equal partners in family planning, as well as activists in the fight for all of our reproductive rights, is extremely important. They agreed to design a special campaign to highlight WVD’s work during these challenging times.
Apparently, more people have sex during Valentine’s Day than any other day of the year, so Tombras developed the ‘Cards to Nards’** campaign. The goal of this campaign is to send as clear a message direct ot men’s testes – for men whose family is complete, a vasectomy is an act of love that lasts forever***!
At WVD, we don’t believe a vasectomy should be considered an alternative to safe and legal abortion, but it is certainly an effective and responsible way to avoid an unplanned pregnancy. At WVD, we celebrate positive and responsible masculinity that leads to healthier families, happier children and a more equitable society and we are honored that Tombras has joined this effort.
Certainly what’s at stake – access to a safe abortion – has dire consequences for women – and men. The Cards to Nards initiative uses humor to redefine what a true act of love means this Valentine’s Day—and beyond.
The campaign includes:
- A series of limited-edition physical cards
- Custom-made upside down heart lollipops (which bear a striking resemblance to testicals) that say “Unwanted Pregnancy Sucks”
- Digital cards available via cardstonards.com
- A series of wild out-of-home postings around New York City
- A call-to-action to share the cards on social media using the hashtag #CardstoNards
- Social channels include IG: @world.vasectomy.day; Twitter: @WorldVasDay
- The first 14 people to share #CardstoNards on Instagram or Twitter will be eligible to win physical Cards to Nards greetings, as well as our custom-made lollipops
All kudos go to Tombras, a family owned ad agency who have done an extraordinary job. Their creativity and creativity have been our inspiration.
On a related note, as part of our November, 2022 Summit, we were fortunate to have as guest speaker – author and blogger, Gabrielle Blair. Her NY Times best selling book, EJACULATE RESPONSIBLY, took the position that men are 100% responsible for all unintended pregnancies and should approach their sex life accordingly. Check out our conversation here****
* You’ll still need to wear a condom if you’re in a sexual relationship STIs are at all likely.
** Nards is slang for testicles or scroti.
*** A vasectomy is potentially reversible, but since there is no guarantee it will succeed, men who choose a vasectomy should assume it is permanent.
**** While I agree that educating men that they are 100% responsible for our sperm is an important lesson. Clearly women
