LIKE most Americans, I have grown sick of politicians who keep fighting the Roe v. Wade battle. Nonetheless, while the broad debate over abortion receives plenty of attention, many of the ethical questions that stem from legalized abortion are widely ignored. These sub-issues include the practice of partial birth abortion, the matter of parental notification for minors, and one in particular that has gotten very limited consideration from the public or either political party: the protection of paternal rights.
In an era of heightened awareness in matters of gender equality, it is bizarre that so little has been done to protect the rights of fathers in decisions regarding their children. There are many considerations that must be made in order to ensure absolute fairness to the mother, but as a general rule, fathers should be legally allowed input in a decision as significant as abortion.
Admittedly, the overwhelming majority of fathers choose not to stake a claim in these decisions. In fact, in the case of an unplanned pregnancy, most men would advocate an abortion more so than the women involved, since they will not be bothered by its physical or emotional consequences. This is assuming the father is even still in the picture at all. It is an unfortunate fact that many men will simply evade this responsibility. Nonetheless, though it is a small minority of men who would accept the challenge of raising a child, this does not mean they should be ignored. Indeed, it is possible that if men were given some sort of stake in the decision-making process, it might compel them to take up more responsibility as well, It is equally unfair to women that they are regarded as the only viable party in the birth of a child; fathers should be encouraged to take part in these situations, not deterred from doing so.
In terms of specific rights, the most controversial would clearly be allowing fathers to override a mother's decision to have an abortion. If this were to be allowed, it is important to clarify a key qualification to this right. As it is all too often the case that single mothers end up being the sole caregiver of a child, it is imperative that any father wishing to override an abortion decision by the mother must be willing to raise the child, with or without the mother's help. It is an awesome responsibility, and any legislation must ensure that the father is held responsible for the child's well-being. This must be done to ensure that a father will not force an abortion, and then later neglect to care for the child. Stringent guidelines must be enacted to ensure protection of the mother's rights as well. Even if fathers are not given equal opportunity in decision-making, at the very least courts should mandate that they are notified of the mother's plans, whenever possible. Perhaps laws could require that the mother and father meet together with a responsible third party, such as a doctor, prior to finalizing plans. Of course, if both parents agree on the decision, this would not be mandatory.
While this opinion may not be popular, let's turn the tables for a moment. If a woman decided to bring a child to term, not only must a father consent to this decision, but he generally is required to pay child support (though this duty is all too often unfulfilled). People often chastise fathers for not taking enough responsibility for their offspring, but what if they actually want to be father figures? It is a gross injustice that fathers are criticized for not being accountable enough for their children but not even given basic rights to decide if they want to raise the child themselves. Of course it is equally important that we stiffen laws on child support to guarantee that single mothers are treated more fairly; however, it is hypocritical to make fathers responsible for their children when it is convenient to do so, and totally deny them any rights to their children when it is inconvenient. Asking single mothers to pay child support for fathers raising children would be another debate entirely, but it certainly reverses the issue in a way that makes you think a little more deeply about it.
I admit that the stigma associated with premarital pregnancy and the sacrifice mothers go through to give birth is something neither I nor any male can ever truly understand. We must do our best to empathize but appreciate that this is something beyond our grasp. This is one of the reasons why I am pro-choice. Still, to deny fathers this right is to imply that they are less of a parent than mothers, simply because they are unable to give birth.
Marsha Garrison, a professor at Brooklyn Law School, argues in a 2005 New York Times article that "the embryo is in the woman's body, it is within her and can't be separated from her, so it's not just her decision-making about whether to bear a child, it's about her body." While this argument must be taken into consideration, it cannot always be used to exclude other factors. A father is responsible for 50 percent of the child's DNA, and he is held accountable for child support if the mother decides to give birth. Therefore, it is unjustifiable to not allow him to be an equal, or at least partial, party in abortion decisions. Let's make sure that the fight for women's rights is about gender equality, not preferential treatment for one sex over another. That is precisely what men did (and many still do) to women, but two wrongs don't make a right. Perhaps some middle ground can be reached where women have ultimate authority but fathers are offered a greater role in the process. It's certainly a sensitive subject, but at the very least, we owe it a careful and thoughtful debate.
Ross Lawrence is a Cavalier DailyViewpoint writer.
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