What I am more interested in is whether and exactly how fathers’ wishes might be taken into account in decisions about abortions. The feminist cry is “it’s a woman’s choice” but surely the father is not totally irrelevant? Yet, given that it’s the mother’s body that will carry the foetus and it’s the mother who will usually breast feed and mainly care for the baby, it is reasonable to give more weight to her interests and wishes than to the father’s. “Half the say” is not reasonable when most of the physical, practical and lifestyle costs are borne by the woman. However, I would at least like to see a legal requirement that the father be consulted and involved in meetings about the decision if he so desires (or perhaps as a legal requirement on him). This at least ensures that his wishes and possible contribution towards the new human life are recorded and considered by all concerned. At present I don’t think fathers are necessarily given the time of day in the process of decsions about either abortions or adoptions. That is not acceptable as far as I’m concerned. How many aborted and adopted-out children might have been reared with the benefit of the loving commitment a father’s genetic connection can provide?

A further concern is the actions of pregnant women that might damage the development of a foetus that they intend to carry to full term. At present I don’t think women are held legally accountable at all for causing developmental damage through alcohol or drug use, smoking cigarettes, physically risky activities, starving themselves or any other behaviour. the baby is then born with birth defects, foetal alcohol syndrome, prematurity, low birth weight and the woman can if she wishes simply give up the care of the difficult baby to someone else or the state. However, if a man does something that might harm the foetus, e.g. punches a pregnant woman in the stomach, this will certainly increase the perceived seriousness of his actions, e.g. the assault. Even upsetting the pregnant woman would be seen by the Family Court as potentially abusive to the foetus, while the same Court will ignore evidence about the mother’s own actions when pregnant.

I would be grateful to hear any other ideas concerning the isssue of father’s rights and involvement in decisions about abortions and/or the issue of how women as well as men might be held accountable for actions affecting a foetus.

The Womens choice as in the Mans choice is to have or not to have sex

There the choices STOP until the result is mature

Onward

Ration Shed - Jim

If a women chooses not to abort a child why should the father be required to pay a percentage of his salary to her/state for 19 years?

Oh and is ripping your child apart in the womb domestic violence?

Regards

Scrap