To think men shouldn't be voting in the Irish abortion referendum

[jess6543]

Abortion is something that can affect a woman forever, and if she has an abortion it i no easy decision. Women need that choice in order to have agency over their bodies, and the option if a pregnancy is a danger to her life.

So it makes me cross to see so many men speaking out against abortion. Pregnancy and abortion is something that will never affect them in the same way it affects a women. It's not their bodies. Banning abortion is just a way to keep control over women.

It affects women and therefore I don't think men should have had a vote in the Irish abortion referendum.

[YouAreNotImportant]

If you'd be happy for women to also be excluded from voting on certain topics then fine.

[VogueVVague]

I agree in the feeling, but thats not how a democracy works.

If it was, expats would have been able to vote in the Brexit referendum.

[Peakypush]

I understand the sentiment and I also get bubbling hot rage every time I see a man speaking against repealing the 8th, but that's not how democracy works. By the same thread do you think only gay people should have been able to vote on the marriage referendum? There are plenty of women who voted no yesterday too. All that aside it looks like it's a landslide yes vote according to the exit polls and many, many men voted Yes to help that happen.

[Ginmakesitallok]

Yabu. The way they would see it is that it does affect men too. Should women not be allowed a view on what are mostly male issues? If they believe that the foetus has rights then in is a male issue too.

[StripySocksAndDocs]

I'm glad they did. because now I realise that I live in a country that the majority of people, who were not personally affected by the 8th amendment, are compassionate.

Where most men do not wish to control fertile women.

Where most men do not think women should be published consequences of having sex.

And all those other things that were behind that minority who were vocal in their 'No'.

[hereforthecrack]

Whilst I understand it doesn't affect men in quite the same practical way it affects woman to dismiss the emotional impacts of an abortion on the father to be is crass and downright short-sighted. In any competent relationship it should be a joint decision.

[jess6543]

What issues are there that have been voted on that only affect men?

[Atthebottomofthesea]

It isn't just about abortion though. Currently a man would potentially have to watch his partner suffer whilst the foetus is protected.

The yes voters aren't voting for abortion it is so much more than that.

[scotchpancakes123]

What annoys me about men who moan about abortion is that if it was men who got pregnant they would be very quick to have abortion as their right and choice. But because pregnancy does NOT affect them in any way shape or form it is very easy for them to say abortion shouldn't be an option for women.
Also a lot of men don't like to wear condoms or take realonsibility for preventing a pregnancy and love having sex. If they are so against abortion then they would be doing everything to do their bit to prevent it instead of being hypocrites.

[IfyouseeRitaMoreno]

I see your logic OP but reasonably you can’t exclude them.

Seems like they voted the right way though, will be interesting to see the correlation between sex and voting.

[Stripybeachbag]

If you expect men to partly take responsibility for conception then you must extend the right to decision-making about abortions.

Both men and women should be responsible for bringing or not bringing a child into the world. If you don't let men vote it is a step backwards, leaving it solely up to the woman.

[ArtBrut]

What Peaky said. Though I will admit to shouting at the radio when the male editor of The Irish Catholic came on and did mild-mannered
poison.

[Allaboutalex]

I am comforted by the fact that you can’t arbitrarily decide who gets to vote and who doesn’t. I saw someone suggest yesterday only women between the ages of 18 and 57 should get to vote- in assuming they’d have to undergo a mandatory fertility examination before receiving their polling card.

I also think women’s rights aren’t a women’s issue. Actually as a women I’m not looking for women’s rights at all really- I just want human rights. I’m very reasonable actually I don’t want special treatment - just the same treatment I’d get if I were a man.

Any man who thinks abortion is none of his business is probably the same man who thinks children is a woman’s business.

[formerbabe]

Yabu. Do you think only gay people should have been able to vote in the marriage referendum?

[Doyoumind]

YABU. It's democracy and it is relevant to men too.

[FlyingElbows]

To prevent men from voting on this issue is to prevent men who wish to support women (and also make their own feelings known) from doing so. You wouldn't just be stopping the ones you disagree with.

[Quimby]

Presumably you’re appalled by all the English/Scottish/non-Irish people expressing an opinion on the Irish referendum on this board and in the media then.

[VladmirsPoutine]

To prevent men from voting on this issue is to prevent men who wish to support women (and also make their own feelings known) from doing so. You wouldn't just be stopping the ones you disagree with.

This pretty much sums up why yabu.

[Buxbaum]

Don't be ridiculous. It's a constitutional issue. The whole electorate gets a vote.

If the exit polls are correct, there are a lot of men who voted 'yes'. This is irrelevant to your argument, however.

[Buxbaum]

Would you also disenfranchise infertile and menopausal women, by the way? What about lesbians?

[ScrubTheDecks]

You would deny the husband of Savita Halappanavar having a vote on this issue?

(I too bubble with rage when men campaign for ‘no’. There was a man with an obvious American accent returning to vote No yesterday interviewed and I was consumed with contempt and hatred for him. But that is a moral view not a political democratic position)

[Girlundercover]

YABU. To restrict voting rights to one section of the population would require its very own referendum. Right to vote is enshrined in the very same written constitution.

We’d never get anything done!

[Rufustheyawningreindeer]

I don't disagree with your argument

But i also think think that in a democracy that everyone should be able to vote according to the 'rules' and you cant make the rules too tight

FIL thinks you shouldn't be able to vote in the UK unless you pay tax

[Vintagebeads]

I am very glad they could.DH was the only member of our household eligible to vote.There are lots of women living in Ireland not from Ireland who got no say.
A yes would not have happened without the male vote.

[Mousefunky]

YABU. Before women were given the right to vote, we were excluded for ‘not understanding politics’ and because ‘politics were men’s business’. Now, in 2018, you’re discussing excluding men from a democratic vote?