To think men shouldn’t be allowed to express pro-life opinions?

[purpledaze24]

Was just watching (by accident, went down a bit of a rabbit hole!) a YouTube video of this infuriating American far-right man talking about how abortion shouldn’t be allowed (even in the case of rape). Watching it made me angrier and angrier. It’s bad enough hearing anyone bang on about banning abortion, but of course, everyone is entitled to an opinion. However, when it’s a man who has no clue what a woman’s body goes through, and has no regard for the giant responsibility and completely life-changing effect a baby has on a mother’s life (cos let’s be realistic, many fathers find it pretty easy to walk away or continue living life completely responsibly-free), I feel like, how dare he express these opinions, he shouldn’t have a say, it’s just not his place. AIBU or should men be allowed to express anti-abortion opinions? I’m not talking about men whose partner gets pregnant, I’m talking about politicians and men with power talking about banning abortion in general. Watching them talk about it gives me the ick

You’re not wrong in my view. No uterus, no opinion. And surely it’s about time women took a turn at deciding men’s rights.

Men should be able to express any pro life views they want.

It's good to be able to identify the dickheads who think they should be able to control women's bodies.

It's better to know they hold abhorrent views so you can avoid them

Of course, their opinions should be discarded as worthless

Of course men should be allowed to practice freedom of speech OP.

No one should get a say about abortion other than the woman considering one. Not your uterus, not your business.

Women die in pregnancy and birth related complications every day. They should have a choice whether to take this risk.

To say that they should take this risk even in the case of rape tells me he doesn’t give a shit about women. But these far right activists don’t give a shit about the unborn either. It’s just a big piece of virtue signalling to move the focus away from their own wrongdoings.

It tells us in the bible to feed the poor and live thy neighbour. When they can do that they can offer their opinions on abortion (but not expect me to take them particularly seriously)

It’s the same as gay marriage. If you don’t agree with it, don’t have one!

Not your sperm, not just your decision.

I have no problem with men having opinions.

I do resent the fact that due to their overwhelming majority in positions of power, they get to actually make the laws and make the decisions that directly impact me when they know little or nothing about the reality of actually being a woman.

There are some great tik tok videos of men spouting off and interviewers asking them questions about the reality while they stand there being confused and stupid. Love those videos.

Where do you draw the line on who and what opinions they should be allowed though? Sounds like a slippery slope to me.

Not your pregnancy, not your choice. Men have the right to an opinion, of course, but decision making rests wholly with the woman who will potentially carry the child with all the physical, emotional and societal implications.

Except it is entirely the woman's decision, as it should be. A man's biological contribution to pregnancy starts and ends at ejaculation with no risk to his long-term health or life whereas a woman's lasts nine months and can cause lasting harm to her well-being as well as potential death.

That's before even getting into the social, financial, and cultural impacts of pregnancy/child-rearing upon a woman which are not experienced to the same degree by men.

No, I think everyone should be able to express their opinions - I don’t like the alternative. Of course, we don’t have to give their opinions any weight…

Every person is entitled to an opinion.

I tend to avoid those who's opinions I strongly disagree with.

Totally agree. I’ve got into some quite heated debates with men when I say “No womb, no opinion”. Not even men who have strong religious views, mostly, but they take it personally to be told decisions about abortion aren’t theirs to make. They know what they can do if they don’t want to be in a position where they might disagree with what a woman does with her own body - either abstain or use a shedload of contraception. That way, their sperm hasn’t anything to do with a biological process that will lead to a baby.

They can be allowed to have an opinion.

They just need to back it up with how they personally ensure they don't impregnate a woman who doesn't want to be pregnant. Abstinence, vasectomy, condoms... the choice is his.

Anyone should be allowed to express any opinion they like as long as it's not likely to incite violence.

Not even men who have strong religious views, mostly, but they take it personally to be told decisions about abortion aren’t theirs to make.

Some men just don't like it when women say no to men in general.

Obviously unreasonable, especially if it’s one particular opinion that’s banned. No right to oppose trans rights unless you are trans, no right to oppose tax rises (or cuts) unless you are a taxpayer, no right to oppose men’s rights unless you are a man.

Unworkable and illiberal. (Also, iirc, I think US women are more than pro-life than the men. So even instrumentally may not always have the effect you expect).

Everyone has the right to an opinion, look at all the vasectomy threads on here.

But ultimately it is her body her choice/ his body his choice.

Obviously I disagree with his view.

But you can’t stop people having their own opinions or judgements.

I am sure all of us on MN have views or opinions on things others do that do not impact our life. It’s natural. You feel how you feel.

And for the record even another woman shouldn’t get a right to the choice I may or may not want to make in my life.

Men should shut their mouths and zippers

Can we also acknowledge there are thousands of men who are also pro choice as well and advocate for woman.

It's not the father risking complications of pregnancy and birth.

There's still a disproportionate cost on women balancing childraising with other aspects of life like employment.
Where there are complications like additional needs, mothers tend to take the brunt of the sacrifices required.

There are too many men who abandon their families, in presence and often financial responsibility.

Pregnancy is a process that happens to a woman's body and she deserves autonomy over her body for the best on-going outcome.

Women should not have their bodies and lives controlled by men who could potentially walk away without a backward glance.

Men can choose condoms, vasectomies and abstinence if they personally feel that strongly.

I think once you go down a route of passing a law to say that half the population are not entitled to have an opinion on something, then it's a slippery slope.

It is true that (or has been) that most political decisions are taken by males, so there is a discrepancy there and I completely get the sentiment. But the OPs suggestion isn't the way forward.

No. I think its an appalling state of mind to think men should not have pro-life views. The pro-life perspective, whether you agree with it or not, is about centring the life of the unborn baby (I'm talking about their perspective so using their language). Of course any human is entitled to a position on this.

All you are saying is that you are pro-choice as you think one life matters and that is the mother's.

Men are not excluded from debates on when life matters just because they are men, and ultimately this debate comes down to a decision on at what stage of human development you think a human life matters.

All humans are entitled to have a view on that and to enter into a debate on that.

If course men should be able to have an opinion. That's free speech. You don't have to pay any attention to their opinions, but they should be able to have and express them.