My thoughts on the abortion issue...

[Jeebo]

10. Clarification...

Hamsterjill, I wasn't talking about irresponsible men who disappear and don't live up to their responsibilities. I was talking about the responsible and decent ones who do. In those cases parenthood becomes a burden for the man as well as for the woman. Nobody ever acknowledges this about the man, only about the woman. I think it's sexist to talk about the woman's right to reproductive freedom and ignore the man's equal right to the same thing.

For the same reason, I believe that abortion is a decision that should be between the woman, her health care provider, the man, and anyone else the prospective parents choose to involve. Because the woman is not the only person who stands to become a parent. The man faces that possibility, too. He doesn't have to endure the nine months of hard labor, but both he and the woman have to take on the 21 years of bills, burdens and responsibilities of parenthood.

I so agree with your comment that abortion should be private. There really is something wrong with it being so much in the political spotlight. -- Ron