[WillowIX]

Originally posted by Bardan the Slayer: I notice you refer to it as "her" child, and the man is faceless. Men tend to love their children just as much as women do. A man is just as responsible for the chil;d as the woman is. Without the man, no conception. No man, no baby. Yet all the physical and emotional ties between a man and his child are ignored. Of course I refer to it as child! I have been pregnant twice so I have some knowledge of how women tend to think/feel during pregnancies. And I do not believe it is possible to compare a man´s ties with a coming child with a womans! To fully understand the feeling of having a spark of life inside your body you have to experience it first hand. And in my post there is no remark as to the man´s attachments should be ignored. Actually it is not entirely true that a man is needed for a conception to occur. Yes it is easier to use sperm when performing an artificial insemination, but in no means necessary. This is not the case with an oocyte. That would of course imply that no man is necessary for a conception to take place. Yes, the woman suffers the effects of pregnancy. Yes, they can be difficult. That is why we have contraception. It's not 100% effective, but it's rather close. Does this give her the right to abort without even consulting with the father? I would be damn annoyed if a woman suddenly announced "I took the decision to kill our child because it was making my ankles puffy (or 'I don't want stretchmarks), and as a woman, it's my right to make that decision regardless of what you say." In all other aspects, a man is held as accountable as the father of the child, yet has no say in it's life or death? Disgraceful. I think you misunderstood my post Bardan. A final say does indeed imply a discussion of the matter. And I would also like to point out that I strongly believe in a discussion with a professional therapist before a decision is made. No matter what you say I still believe that the woman have the final say. The puffy ankles remark is only offensive so I will refrain from a retort to that.

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[ 02-09-2003, 05:17 PM: Message edited by: WillowIX ]