“Legal abortion” Could be the New Masculine Thing To Do
A quick history on abortion laws in the U.S. and an the attempts to include the father figure in the decision making process.
With the recent uproar in the fight for women’s rights after the 2016 Presidential Election, it seems as if the the states across the nation have proposed numerous legislative pieces that have provoked major debate about abortion laws and a woman’s rights over her body. Issues about women’s rights have been around for hundreds of years and change with each passing decade, but for some reason it seems to be a fad that people are choosing a side for the sake of popularity. Should be choosing for what they believe in, not what others think they should or what is stereotyped. For instance, many people have taken the side of pro-life or pro-choice without even knowing the true details of what each position encompasses. For instance men and women across the nation are determining themselves as pro-choice for women, however, they have no idea of what the choice of having an abortion does to to the bodies of male partners.
With a recent need to address the issue of abortion, states across the U.S. are taking a stand, mostly in the direction of pro-life, after some inspiration from right-wing nut jobs. Some of the legislative pieces are making it nearly impossible for women, especially poor, colored women, to get an abortion.
One example of this is seen with The Hyde Amendment. This amendment took away federal Medicaid coverage for abortion services, unless it endangered a woman’s life or in cases of rape and incest. Women are then forced to pay out of pocket for abortion procedures, often cutting funds in other areas of life such as water or electricity. Even though this amendment was passed in 1976, it continues to cause lasting effects on the women in poor communities. The Hyde Amendment has inspired politicians to insert themselves in women’s rights and their decisions for abortions. For instance, Congress is considering a nationwide bill called 20 Week Bans — basically banning an abortion after 20 weeks.
On the individual scale, the Oklahoma State Bill 1441 required that the father of the child must give consent in order for the woman to have an abortion. This bill opened a whole can of worms. What if the woman wants to abort the baby, but the father doesn’t? That is violating the basic human rights of the woman, and technically enslaving her for the wants of the man. What if the woman doesn’t want to abort the baby, but the father does? Again, violating the rights of the woman for not having complete control over her body — the body that is carrying the baby. On the bright side, this bill does put considerable effort into the role of the father figure and their choice in the issue of abortion. Men have been overlooked for decades about the effects of a woman’s choice for abortion.
The effects of the procedure of an abortion on pregnant women are well studied, and are often proven to have more beneficial outcomes for the woman’s health in comparison to the effects of completing a full term pregnancy. The effects of abortion occur anywhere from hormonal, psychological and physical, especially because they are the ones carrying the fetus. The male counterparts of the women who choose abortion experience effects as well, weighing mostly on the psychological and emotional side of the spectrum.
Effects include (but are not limited to):
- Post traumatic stress
- Greif
- Guilt
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Feeling of powerlessness
The comedy lies in the fact that these symptoms occur in both women who complete a full term pregnancy and to those who chose abortion, but now that men are admitting to these effects, their needs must be immediately addressed and fixed.
In an attempt to show equality, an article in the The Washington Post announced that Sweden had offered the right to a “legal abortion” for all father figures up to 18 weeks during the pregnancy. This “legal abortion” terminates all paternal investment for the child, losing his rights of visitation and cancellation of child support he might have been required to provide. This proposal helps to involve men in the decision to be involved with the child and to not support the decision of the mother to follow through with the pregnancy.
Sweden has probably one of the most accepting views on abortion, supporting the woman to have one at any point in the pregnancy, and women play an active role in the legislation proposals and processes. In fact, it is thought that a woman had thought of the male “legal abortion” because there was a strong need to address the men during pregnancy. The above proposal “would make it clear when men are legally required to play a role in their child’s life and when they are not,” involving the choice for males to participate, but not completely override the choices of the woman’s pregnancy or abortion. Maybe the U.S. should take tips from international states in their attempts to create equality in baby steps, rather than completely violating someone’s rights.
