Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ttidcc.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!dcdwest!ittvax!decvax!linus!philabs!ttidca!ttidcc!regard From: regard@ttidcc.UUCP (Adrienne Regard) Newsgroups: net.women,net.abortion Subject: Gosh, I hope this doesn't bury me Message-ID: <221@ttidcc.UUCP> Date: Thu, 7-Feb-85 16:29:42 EST Article-I.D.: ttidcc.221 Posted: Thu Feb 7 16:29:42 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 11-Feb-85 06:18:44 EST Organization: TTI, Santa Monica, CA. Lines: 37 Xref: watmath net.women:4437 net.abortion:1239 Well, now I'm gonna say something that is bound to be unpopular with a number of the readers. Please be sure that I mean no personal slam, and that I am speaking from my own opinion, etc. Abortion is a very unsettled issue, and there are many points of disagreement. We will ultimately need to decide, as a democratic society, on a solution. However, since the laws of this country do not require the equal responsibility for childbearing (and I mean equal in ALL senses of emotional, financial, societal, etc. responsibility) by men, and since medical science does not definitively identify the male parent of the fetus, nor is a man capable to carry a fetus, I think this is an issue for women. Certainly men may have opinions, and notably do, across the spectrum. However, they cannot have the ultimate responsibility because their bodies, futures, careers, livelihood are not impacted by this issue EXCEPT by their voluntary consent. (PLEASE NOTE: I do, I really do, understand that both partners in a sex act are presumed in most cases to be consenting. I'm speaking now of consent to conception - women do not have absolute control over that. Note the word absolute). Frankly, I consider lack of birth control use to be nearly criminal (assuming, of course, that one does not wish to conceive). I am one of those odd people who consider lack of education and forethought in most actions of a human to be nearly criminal. However, I can't see the condemnation of so many women who haven't the smarts/education/strength of self/street-savvy/luck/WHATEVER, and I particularly have a hard time listening to men condemn them. A man never faces this particular choice, and never can. He is, sheer physical fact, one step removed. While I can respect the viewpoints of many men, and at least respect the others' RIGHTS to their viewpoints, I just wish men would hold to themselves, quietly for a moment, the realization that the issue is uncharted land to them, and a place that they cannot be. I include this in net.women in respect for the many men who contribute. I would welcome your responses in addition to the women.