Our conversation about abortion places the burden of responsibility on women. I argue men are the root cause.
Illustration: Jialun Deng
The author, Gabrielle Blair. Photo: Tracey Clark
Here?s another prevention idea: All males in the U.S. could get a vasectomy when they are ready to be sexually active. Vasectomies are very safe, highly reversible, and about as invasive as a woman getting an IUD implanted. In most cases, there?s some soreness afterwards for about 24 hours, but that?s pretty much it for side effects. (Take a moment to remember that female contraception options, used by millions of women in our country and billions across the world, have well-known side effects which can be brutal and severe ? and yes, also include soreness.) If and when a man becomes a responsible adult, finds a mate, and wants to have a baby, the vasectomy can be reversed and then redone once the childbearing stage is over. Each man can bank their sperm before the vasectomy, just in case.
Don?t like my ideas? That?s fine. I?m sure there are better ideas, and I challenge you to suggest your own. My point is we need to stop focusing on women if we?re trying to get rid of abortions. Think of abortion as the ?cure? for an unwanted pregnancy. To stop abortions, we need to prevent the ?disease? ? meaning, the unwanted pregnancy itself. And the only way to do that is by focusing on men, because irresponsible ejaculations by men cause 100% of unwanted pregnancy.
Ask yourselves: What would it take for you to value the life of your sexual partner more than your own temporary pleasure or convenience?
If you?re a man, what would it take for you to never again ejaculate irresponsibly? A loss of money, rights, or freedoms? Physical pain? Ask yourselves: What would it take for you to value the life of your sexual partner more than your own temporary pleasure or convenience?
Men mostly run our government, and men mostly make our laws. In theory, men could eliminate ? or drastically reduce ? abortions within months without ever touching an abortion law or even mentioning women. They?d simply need to hold men accountable for irresponsible ejaculations, and legislate accordingly.
To reduce or eliminate abortions, stop attempting to control women?s bodies and sexuality. Because unwanted pregnancies are caused by men.
