The 'Men's Club Paternal Rights' Experience

Crikey. No idea where to start with this one at all. Don't tend to write serious things on here anymore. Oh well. Here goes nothing....

Today's topic is:

'Paternal rights - whether the biological father of an unborn child should have the right to block a woman's abortion? moral and legal arguments - Also, should a woman who has had an abortion and not told the biological father be subject to "damages" for her failure to disclose prior to terminating the pregnancy?'

I would hope, firstly, that a discussion would take place between the potential mum and dad, once the mum-to-be found out that she was pregnant. Now I know that this isn't always practical, or even possible, but for me, this seems the ideal first step.

I would imagine that in 95% of cases this is exactly what happens and that the decision to abort or continue is very much a joint one. But clearly it's the other 5% of cases that we are primarily discussing. And this could potentially be horribly tricky. I would certainly hope never to be in the situation whereby my partner wanted to persue a different option than what I did. Having said that I would fully support her in whichever option she decided to take.

I've always been very much of the view that it is primarily the decision of the female as to whether to abort or continue. I've always held this view because it is the female that has to 'house' the growing baby and effectively put her life somewhat on hold for a very long period of time. Whilst the male has clearly had a large part to play in putting the baby there, he does not, I feel, have the same level of attachment to it, physically or even mentally.

If the mother wants to abort what is growing inside her, than I feel that it is ultimately her decision. If the father does not agree with this decision, then harsh as it may sound, there isn't and, I feel, shouldn't be anything he can do about it.

This partially also answers the second part of the question. I don't believe the father is entitled to any kind of damages. Whilst I firmly believe that the mother should make every possible effort to discuss her feelings with the father, it is her decision to make, and whether or not she tells the father should not affect her right to make that decision.

The whole issue surrounding abortion is clearly not a simple one and on face value does not look fair on the father. After all, if the mother decides to keep the baby, the father will be expected to support that child financially at the very least, whereas if she decides to abort, the father has no say in it.

I really can see the arguments on both sides, but must come down in favour of the mother, purely for the fact that the baby is growing inside her and is therefore part of the her at that stage. I really do think it's up to her what she does with what is effectively part of her, as hard as they may seem on the potential father.

For other, more lucid, views on this incredibly tricky topic, pop along to The Project Bowl, Phin, Naked Villainy and Drunken Wisdom for the male views and Just Breathe, Villains Vanquished, Cake Eater Chronicles and Chaos Theory for the female views.

Writing amusing posts really is soooooooooooooo much easier....

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