Abortion and Men

Fathers have no legal rights over their unborn children. The choice to continue with a pregnancy or have an abortion lies solely with the mother. While women can legally choose to abnegate their parental rights and responsibilities, men cannot. These facts raise many problems:

Fathers who want to defend the lives of their unborn children are often accused of meddling in something that is not their business. A father who wants to leave the decision to the mother is often accused of being uncaring and distant. This, in turn, can create feelings of isolation for the mother, which makes it easier for her to resort to abortion.

Furthermore, the law is a powerful teacher. It currently teaches fathers that they have no rights in the abortion decision and fosters a sense of irresponsibility in young men: the slogan ‘my body, my choice’ used by the pro-choice movement have led many men to respond by saying, ‘your body, your choice’ rejecting their role in the upbringing of their children.

Men who refuse to face up to their responsibilities after a child is born are often pursued by organizations like the Child Support Agency and, if necessary are forced to support their children. Most would agree that this is good practice because fathers have a moral obligation to support their children. However fathers of unborn children who are keen to embrace fatherhood and responsibility are routinely denied the opportunity to do so with legal sanction. How can this be fair?

There are difficult questions which arise when we consider how to frame the law in such situations: if we allow the man to veto an abortion does this also give him the right to demand that a woman have one if he doesn’t want the child? What is certain is that the current situation is unjust: it emasculates men and ignores their feelings entirely.

In a culture where abortion is becoming more and more routine post-abortion counseling services are seeing an increasing number of men come forward, grieving their aborted children. The lack of control regarding a critical, life-changing decision often generates considerable resentment and mistrust towards women. Men can also suffer from depression and feelings of anger, resentment helplessness and guilt. LIFE is here to help them.