Is there any end to our obsession with male fertility?

Egypt is DNA testing its mummies. Mummies long assumed to be the children of Tutankhamun (my spell checker and Nature appear to disagree on the spelling, which I find interesting) are being tested, but not even Nature can keep from linking this back to questions about whether King Tut was fertile. No, it really is interesting and I am waiting with bated breath to hear what this eventually contributes to our understanding of ancient Egypt, but I am a little on edge about the entire subject of male fertility concerning the reports about research on male hormonal birth control being dropped because of fears that there would be no market for it.

If anyone out there is confused about this fact, women go through a hell of a lot of work, worry, side effects, and money to be responsible about sex and reproduction and I have little to no respect for the idea that men are not or should not be giving the opportunity to be responsible as well. When I first tried birth control I dealt with side effects ranging from months of constant nausea to weight gain to cramps or pain in very uncomfortable places. I have still never tried a method of birth control that has no difficulty associated with it at all. If you are having sex or if you ever plan on having sex and are male and want to be at least a marginally decent human being, you should be writing an email to someone either in government or pharmaceuticals telling them that you want male birth control. Though, considering stories like this about young men getting vasectomies, I think the problem has far more to do with our industries than it does with men. At least I hope that is true.

Hat tip: Echidine of the Snakes and one of her commenters.