A father's role in abortion

But by saying that they should have an equal say in abortion, you ARE saying that. If that say was equal ie enforcable by law, the only way that it could be really equal would be if both the mother and father agreed before an abortion was permitted. Therefore, if the man didn't give his consent then a termination would not be allowed, and the woman would be forced to go through with the pregnancy due to a lack of alternatives.

I'd rather abort it, to be honest.

I certainly don't believe that a woman should be forced to carry a baby she doesn't want for 9 months especially considering the psychological impacts on her but I think it's wrong that the man isn't allowed to play a part at all.

In the sense that few women have abortions without even informing the father or letting him know she was pregnant in the first case. That's what I disagree with.

You cannot just be for or against the concept of abortion (which many of you are) but you also need to realistically think about the physical and mental well-being of the child if the mother is unwilling to carry the child, but is forced to anyway.

Yep, everything is context bound.

Sorry, a baby is affected by it's mother's mood?

Yes, ultimately. I believe I asked you a few questions earlier that you never responded to, so never mind.

Care to repeat?

Yeah, I said -
"If you expect the woman to have the baby despite her not initially wanting it, are you hoping for some sort of 'motherly bond' to be established when she finally gives birth, or would you expect the man who wanted it in the first place to take sole responsibility for raising the child? I can't see a child having a very good life if their mother doesn't want them..."

"I can't see a child having a very good life if their mother doesn't want them..."

they wouldnt really need to know, would they

its just like adopted children who are given up because the parents dont want them

Many father's don't want children, does that mean that they don't have a good life?

Why wouldn't they have to know? I'm pretty sure their mothers blatant dislike for them would show through soon enough. Besides, even adopted children can want to go knocking on their natural parents' doors the minute they hit 18.

if a childs sole carer is their father why would the mother be involved?

Because many at one point turn around and demand to know who their mother is. Besides, I can't see many men agreeing to being the 'sole carer' in the first place, which is just annoying. No doubt women would be subject to paying toward the child as well (and that part of the argument is fair enough really, for as long as men continue having to pay towards children). It would make it quite hard to cut out the mother *completely*. More and more these days you see 'I want to find my dad!' appeals on crappy daytime TV. Why wouldn't it be the case for mothers?

Each year, thousands of women in the UK make the choice to terminate a pregnancy. Their reasons range from selfishness (not ready, career-focused, one night stand) to closure (victim of rape).

However, the father hardly ever gets a say in what happens to an unwanted pregnancy. It's all about the woman.

Cue the TSR-gettes arguing that it's a woman's body, and she has the right to decide whether she wants to carry another life for 9 months. But a father's right to be a parent is never considered. And to be honest, a woman's desire for lethargy should not trump the baby's right to life.

It's abhorrent that any woman would want to kill their own children, so I think it be fair that women be required to seek the consent of the father (if they could be traced) before any termination went ahead.

Of course women could (and certainly would) decieve the system and go ahead with killing their children without the genuine consent of the father. Should punitive steps be implemented to combat this? Fines? Imprisonment?

I am anti-abortion, but the motivation for this thread is more Fathers 4 Justice than right to life.

Thoughts?

if it was me id happily become the sole carer, i dont know about others though.

but would it not be fair to say that a child in the world with a loving father would be better than that child not having the chance to be around? whether or not they find out their mothers feelings

Baby P was murdered by his mother.

Are you suggesting he should have been killed beforehand to avoid the abuse?

What's the line from Flight of the Conchords 'There are no more elephants, there is no more unethical treatment of elephants, the world is a much better place'

Why not just euthanise the poor while you're at it?