Women should decide; men should support

"Well aren't you glad your mother didn't have an abortion?"

"I suppose, but it isn't like I would be complaining if she did."

The above dialogue was held between a die-hard "Pro-Lifer" and myself. An interesting fact about the speaker - it was a male.

In our democratic society, men and women are allowed and encouraged to use the right of free speech and religious beliefs without the fear of prosecution.

As intelligent individuals, we are allotted the abilities to form our own beliefs about subjects. The issue isn't about having an opinion, but rather forcing an opinion in a battle where the instigator only has a three-legged dog.

This is not a discussion on the "rights" and "wrongs" of abortion. Abortion is currently classified as a legal, medical procedure but is held as morally and ethically wrong by certain groups and persons.

The discussion is why is it acceptable, even viewed as correct, for a man to tell a woman how to manage her body? It's like taking a car to a mechanic and telling them how to fix the problem.

Reversing roles, would a man rather have a woman picket and protest in favor of required vasectomies or support his decision to have or not have a medical procedure performed?

The problem exists when men are the forefront of the "Pro-Life" movement. The fact remains that men are unable to conceive; therefore we are unable to properly empathize with a woman's reproductive biology.

Comparing social subjects, can a heterosexual person identify with the issues faced by the Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender community? Absolutely not, because a heterosexual person does not feel discriminated against for their sexuality.

Can a straight person be a supporter and advocate for the GLBT community? Absolutely.

Again, it isn't about having opinions, but about recognizing one's place within a social issue. Men would do well to remember that it is a woman's body entangled within a complicated web of religion and politics.

Sadly for The Center for Bio-Ethical Reform, this is not the case.

Of the seven directors for the CBR, four are men, including the executive director, the Midwest regional director, the southeast regional director and the northern California director.

I wonder when the last time any of them were pregnant and had to make a decision not just based on faith, but on what would be most beneficial to their physical well-being.

The only other argument to be made is in the case of a man voicing an opinion about his fetus. A man should have his opinion taken into serious consideration in the case of a fetus he helped produce.

The opinion, however, should remain just that. The decision rests entirely with the woman, unless science develops a miraculous way for men to bare children.

As a side note, the discussion of children and abortion in a consenting relationship between a man and a woman is a private matter. A relationship is private and, in theory, both partners respect each other's opinions enough to compromise their sexual lifestyle

However, this goes to the age-old argument of contraception. If the man wanted children, why isn't he with a woman who wants the same? If a man doesn't want children, why isn't he using protection? Accidents and unexpected circumstances arise, but for the most part prevention of children is tremendously easier in our modern day of medicine.

"You can have a rule-making opinion about abortion when you are able to experience morning sickness, swollen feet and breasts, aching back pain and the overwhelming responsibility of carrying a living creature within you for 10 months," sage advice that every mother should bestow on her son.

These are the bodies of women, the bodies of our mothers, sisters, aunts, friends and the only gender capable of perpetuating our species.

Men are not pro-life, nor pro-choice. Men should be pro-woman and support her decision, whatever it may be.

Posted: 9/17/07 on www.mtsusidelines.com