Should men and women have an equal say in abortion?
Fact Box
- The American Heritage Dictionary defines abortion as “induced termination of a pregnancy with destruction of the embryo or fetus.”
- The Greek philosopher Aristotle said about abortion, “...when couples have children in excess, let abortion be procured before sense and life have begun; what may or may not be lawfully done in these cases depends on the question of life and sensation.”
- Healthline reports that, according to history scholars, abortion was not stigmatized in early America, “before 1840, abortion was widespread and largely-stigma-free for American women. It was so commonplace that newspapers advertised abortion services to cure 'obstructed menses' with herbal remedies.”
- On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson case to overturn Roe and Casey. The court held that “the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion [...] and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives.”
Chad (No)
Even before fertilization, eggs require a higher metabolic input to create than sperm, by about 4 to 6 orders of magnitude. This forms the basis of sexual selection theory in evolutionary biology and explains why women have to be ‘more choosy’ than males in forming mating pairs.
So, even before mating, females have already invested more into reproduction. After mating, this investment discrepancy gets even more one-sided as males technically do not have to devote anything to the development or birth of the offspring.
In humans, women bear the bulk of the physical demand for pregnancy, birth, and early child care. Because of this, women are forced to give up school, work, or other pursuits and opportunities to have a child. For men, supporting a woman in these efforts is generally voluntary, and they can choose how much time and resources to devote to the relationship and the child.
Because the woman is the one that must make the most sacrifices when having a child, the woman should have the majority of decision power. This is not to say that men should have no rights or opinions regarding abortion and child-rearing. For the benefit of the child and the society that it will become a part of, both parents should be involved in this process, but women should have the final veto power either way.
Amani (Yes)
Despite improvements to ensure both sexes get equal legal rights, men continue to be excluded from the abortion narrative. However, this needs to change soon for several reasons. First of all, in states such as New Jersey, fathers have equal rights as mothers do regarding their children. These rights are also granted to men even if they're not married to the mothers. Therefore, on the same merits, equal rights should be given to fathers of fetuses, especially since they have a level of investment in the pregnancy to be terminated.
Historically, many laws dealing with child abuse or murder were considered by people who never had their own children. Being a parent is not a requirement for officials to vote or pass judgments. So, shouldn't the person who can potentially help create a life determine its destiny? Well, one reason is the fear that men would try to stop the process altogether. However, numbers indicate that men and women may not be on different pages regarding getting abortions. According to Gallup, 53% of men and 48% of women favor legal abortion under some circumstances. Meanwhile, 31% of men and 26% of women favor legal abortion regardless of circumstances.
Men should have a say in abortion as they also feel its effects--some men may experience depression, guilt, and shame. And unfortunately, they have no support programs to help them cope nor abortion clinics to educate them. That's why 40% of men think of 'the child that might have been' later. So, rather than continuing to leave men out, it's time to get them involved and heard.
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