Ohio state representatives, led by Rep. John Adams, have introduced a new bill that would give fathers veto power over abortion.
As written, the bill would ban women from seeking an abortion without written consent from the father of the fetus. In cases where the identity of the father is unknown, women would be required to submit a list of possible fathers. The physician would be forced to conduct a paternity test from the provided list and then seek paternal permission to abort.
What about rape or incest? They have that covered: women would be required to present a police report to prove sex wasn't consensual.
Recently, we linked here to a story on Babble, "My Child, My Choice," by a pro-choice activist whose feelings about abortion changed when she had a baby.
You smart readers discussed (275+ comments!) the issue in a thoughtful, serious way. We found out how much we all have in common, and how many of us see both sides, both politically and personally.
This bill, of course, does not reflect that kind of even-handedness, but instad indicates what lengths certain politicians will go to (permission slips! partner lists! police reports!) in order to make the abortion debate as polarizing as possible.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 15)
1. An interesting idea, but if these policy makers insist on getting permission from the father of an unborn baby, they risk opening the door on permission for other rights, such as birth control. What if a girl wants to use it, but her partner doesn't consent? And what if she decides she doesn't want to have sex, but her partner does? Pretty soon we'll have to ask permission to vote, drive a car, or have a job!
I do not like abortion, and I personally will never get one, and I understand people's objections to it ("If doctors are supposed to do no harm, then why are they allowed to kill unborn babies?"). But the bottom line is that the decision belongs to the mother carrying the baby. My hope would be that women who make that decision are making it for the right reasons, not because they're taking a trip to Paris in a few weeks and don't want to be burndened by a pregnancy.
And thanks for bringing up the problem of incest and rape, Ada. That was my first big objection, and the (unfortunate) fact is that not all women report their rapes, as a result of shame or fear. What happens to them when they realize they are pregnant with their rapist's child?
Marta Rusek at 2:03PM on Aug 3rd 2007
2. If they make it manditory to get a man's consent for an abortion - they should be forced to make it manditory for a man's consent to carry the fetus to full term - after all, a man is going to be strapped emotionally and financially for years to come if a woman decides to move forward with a child. I think pro choice - should be pro choice not only on the woman's right to have a child, but also on the mans. Got to make it fair on both sides.
Jessica Svoboda at 2:08PM on Aug 3rd 2007
3. If the woman has to ask permission from the man, necessarily the man has some property right claim on the woman herself. That means the woman is the slave of the man.
Knight_of_BAAWA at 2:21PM on Aug 3rd 2007
4. Abortion is not a "right" of the mother. If a woman does choose this course of action, then the father, of course, should have to be consenting. If the father is opposed to the abortion, the mother should be able to give the child to the father and thereby she is free to live her selfish irresposible life. Life is not to be literally thrown out just because pregnancy is not convenient for the mother. I have 6 children - not one was planned. Every means of birth control available - including tubal ligation - was not effective for me. I have never regretted any one of these blessings that others would have thrown out. Procreation is a God thing and people should show much more regard for the gift of life that has been given them, and extend the right to others - including unborn children.
Sherry at 2:50PM on Aug 3rd 2007
5. Sorry Sherry #4, unless men carry the fetus, no dice. Let's get real here people..I have worked in adoptions for years now..most of these men simply walk away if they know the woman is pregnant or she may not know who he is. Before parental rights are terminated for an adoption, the "father" is served by publication n the newspaper. I have yet to see ONE respond. Sadly, this is true. There are good father to be sure, but unplanneed pregnancies between unmarried folks? Men leave about 95% of the time.
If folks are married, yes, men should have a say. Unamrried? No...this is just another attempt by politicians to appeal to the right wing base of the GOP. Abortion when it has to happen should happen only in about the first six to eight weeks of pregnancy...
David S. at 3:01PM on Aug 3rd 2007
6. I'm not religious but I am a humanist, and I know that no matter how polarizing abortion is to this country, it is utterly unfair to give the power of abortion to the male/police. There are so many reasons why a woman would want to abort, and not all of them are reasonable which is just sad, but it really is a woman's choice. She's the one carrying the baby, she'll be the one who's ultimately burdened with raising the child, so if she feels she can't (planned, unplanned, some stupid selfish reason, illness, etc) then she should be allowed to abort.
If you regret, you can't force others to feel your pain. It's something personal, and while you don't want others to feel it, you can't force it. Abortion is really an individual thing. If you are against it, it's a personal choice. For it, personal. I agree with the laws that require women to think on her decision for several days, but not with this one.
Justine at 4:08AM on Aug 12th 2007
7. It's about time the father gets a voice when it comes to protecting the lives of his children! Now if we can only give a voice to those precious little babies who are being slaughtered on a daily basis.
As a mother, I've always been a little worried about my son. He's a Christian, and we've tried our best to raise him right. It is our prayer that he will wait until marriage to have marital relations, but, even then, what happens if his wife turns out to be a different person than he trusts her to be? She could kill his child and, under current law, there is not a thing he could do or say to protect that little baby.
It really makes my blood boil to hear that the choice should be the mother's. How dare they refer to these murderesses as "mothers"? Real mothers do not murder their own children. It used to be that the safest place for a little baby was the womb of his mother. How terrifying it must be now to be a little baby in the uterus of a woman who is pro-choice. The womb of a woman who is pro-choice is the most dangerous place on earth if you are a little baby just now discovering your thumb or wondering about the sensation of your own hiccups for the first time...
Dirinda at 3:11PM on Aug 3rd 2007
8. Why is it that every promiscous bitch who gets pregnant starts yelling about an unplanned pregnancy? Hey stupid bitch, what was unplanned about it?? Did you not know sex causes pregnancy when you spread your legs?? Listen up Genius, its you who can get pregnant, not the guy,so it is up to you to protect your own body. If men could get pregnant it would be their responsibility to protect their body. Take responsibility for your own actions and live with the consequences of your actions. If you get pregnant when you are being your slutty self, then suck it up and deal with a lifetime ahead of Motherhood.
Richard at 3:13PM on Aug 3rd 2007
9. Ok, David #5. So because men do the leaving, women can do the killing? That's what it comes down to. The unborn child, not the man or woman. Women are the slaves of men anyway, if the slackers are getting their jollies while the women give themselves away to these lowlifes. Is it really unreasonable, given such circumstances, for women (and men!) to save themselves for marriage? Everyone tells me, "Oh, that's impossible and unreasonable." Unreasonable? Like having sex with a man who reason tells you is just using you for sex? Yeah. Expecting people to be sane is pretty unreasonable in this day and age.
Geoff at 3:13PM on Aug 3rd 2007
10. In order for a birth to occur, SPERM IS GIVEN TO THE FEMALE. As a gift, the male has no sayso in the matter of the birth or abortion.
keywest69 at 3:23PM on Aug 3rd 2007
11. Fine, Key West. Then there is no obligation for the man to pay child support "as a gift," if he has no say in whether the child is born. But again, that's not what it comes down to. From conception, a new, growing entity is there. Only living things grow. It is not a parasite (no parasite is begotten by its own species.) It is a human embryo. It is already the offspring of the human species. The embryo has DNA distinct from the body it is in, unlike a kidney. So to pro-choice folks, the baby is a legitimate hostage to the mother, not a "part of her body." That's not at all scientific or moral.
Geoff at 3:55PM on Aug 3rd 2007
12. Notice how the most vocal anti-abortion screamers so far are also anti-sex. They hate sex. Why? Because it's pleasurable, and all things pleasurable are, necessarily, BAD.
When will the puritans learn not to impose their stick-in-the-mud crap on everyone else?
One more thing: if having an abortion is not taking responsibility for actions, neither is having a bone set because it was broken in an accident.
Knight_of_BAAWA at 3:32PM on Aug 3rd 2007
13. Amazing how conservatives are so 'compassionate' about unborn lives, yet have no problem lying through their teeth and sending naive young men off to die in an unwarranted war, under the guise of spreading democracy, to enhance the income statements of their corporate buddies.
Paul at 3:48PM on Aug 3rd 2007
14. Leave the decision to the mother. If a father wants a baby, he better make sure that is what the woman wants. Keep your pistol holstered until you find a woman who has the same feelings about having a child.
Personally, I do not support abortion. But I will not take the high moral ground and judge. That will be between the woman and God.
My only wish is that men and women would use the appropriate contraceptives, if the woman wishes to not have a baby. Then abortion would not be an issue and the mother would not have to carry the psychological horror of aborting a baby for the rest of her life.
John Sanchez at 3:53PM on Aug 3rd 2007
15. Wow....we are quantifying a human infant to a broken bone. If christians are so much against sex as you say, then why are christian families so much larger than non-christians? Pro-Choice....Pro-death is what it is. The man should always have a say in the murder of his child. I would not be opposed to a man legally opposing the murder of his child being required to accept full singular responsibility for the child with the woman being free from ANY obligations of motherhood...monetary included. Bottom line is simple...It IS a human baby we are speaking of here. Killing a human baby IS murder, no matter how badly you try to justify it!
David at 3:56PM on Aug 3rd 2007