22nd January 2021
By Alex Ruggles
Being Pro-Life and Male
A controversial position to hold in this day and age is being both male and being against the direct and intentional killing of unborn children in their mothers’ womb. A few common assertions against such an individual is to mind their own business, that no uterus equals no opinion on the topic, and that abortion is solely an issue revolving around the mothers’ choice. All of these arguments would suggest that males have no place in the abortion debate and effectively exclude males from the discussion. Discrimination in action? Very much so and thankfully any argument that denies men an opinion on abortion holds no credence. Here’s why:
Telling men to mind their own business
Pro-abortion advocates often argue that men have no business in abortion and that abortion is solely a women’s issue. They argue erroneously that abortion only affects women. They would be correct if the human species reproduced asexually. But we do not perpetuate ourselves in this way. It takes two to tango and without going into any more detail, it takes both a woman and a man to produce a new member of the human species. A common counter-argument to this is that women carry the outcome of pregnancy quite literally by carrying their child in their womb and as such are more affected by pregnancy than men. This is true! This is however not a reason to justify abortion. The child in the womb is the creation of both mother and father and as such is the offspring of both. That child in the womb is not simply the child of the mother, they also have a father and that father has a right to protect that child from harm. Abortion is undoubtedly the most egregious example of harm.
This is not to deny that many men have neglected their responsibility to protect and provide for both their child and the mother of the child, financially and otherwise. As creating a new life involves two parties, so it involves responsibility from both parties to protect and provide for this child. The solution to ensuring men don’t neglect their duty to their child and the mother of their child is not to push them out of the abortion debate but to look to involve them more deeply within the argument and remind them firmly of their responsibilities. The unborn child is the creation of both the mother and father and as such both have a duty and a shared sense of care and responsibility to that child. Telling men to mind their own business is simply telling them to abandon women and neglect their own duties as fathers.
No uterus, no opinion
Another common argument that seeks to exclude men from the abortion debate is that because men do not possess a uterus they do not have the privilege of voicing an opinion in the abortion debate. The first thing this argument does is to remind us of basic biology. Yes, men do not possess a uterus, or large sex cells (eggs) as each sex possesses distinct reproductive anatomy; ‘males are the sex that produce small gametes (sperm) and females produce large gametes (ova).’ As such ‘an individual’s biological sex corresponds to one of two distinct types of evolved reproductive anatomy (i.e. ovaries or testes) that develop for the production of sperm or ova.’ Thus, men and women possess distinct and complimentary primary sex organs (gonads, i.e. ovaries and testes in the case of females and males, respectively).
What this assertion of basic biological science cannot do however is deprive man of an opinion on abortion. By the same measure, should we deny women an opinion on discussing male mental health, or an opinion on discussing testicular or prostate cancer, or indeed on even trivial issues such as male sports? Do men not then have the responsibility to speak out on female genital mutilation in much of the Islamic world? Are we really going to be so reductionist as a society to deny anyone an opinion on a subject if they aren’t a member of that subject which is being discussed? This argument of no uterus, no opinion would already be erroneous if humans reproduced unilaterally. However, as already discussed, no children can be brought into existence without a father and that child is as such the child of not only the mother carrying them in their womb but their father as well. The argument ‘no uterus, no opinion’ fails to mention this male contribution and the fact that abortion deprives a father of their child just as much as the mother. The argument recognizes basic biological science whilst being ignorant of this fact of male involvement in pregnancy. It would do better to highlight men’s responsibilities in pregnancy, rather than place the whole burden on the pregnant woman, and look to encourage men to play their role in providing for both the child and the pregnant mother’s needs.
Is abortion solely an issue of a mothers’ choice?
A third argument surrounding male opinions regarding abortion is that abortion is solely an issue of the mothers’ choice. It is the mother, not the unborn child and certainly not the father who has the decision to pursue abortion. What then of the father? He also had the choice in creating that child, therefore by the same token he should have an equal choice in choosing to abort (or not) if he recognizes his equal responsibility in creating a child and starting a pregnancy, if such an argument is taken to its logical conclusion? But of course any argument involving abortion predicated on choice fails to mention the one person who is totally ignored. The unborn child, an actual, living human being (and not just a potential clump of cells) has no choice in abortion. They have their inalienable and fundamental right to life violated by abortion. An individual’s ability to choose, whether male or female, ends when another human life is involved. Neither father nor mother possesses the right to take their unborn child’s life. They instead, have an equal responsibility to protect and provide for that child.
Males therefore are very much allowed an opinion on opposing abortion and it is crucial that they continue to play that part in the pro-life movement. Any argument seeking to exclude men from the debate is discriminatory and fails to consider the equal role and responsibility men play in creating a child and supporting a pregnancy. Everyone has the responsibility to speak out when human lives and human rights are violated. Men; do not allow yourself to be silenced on the issue of abortion!
