I'm sure we've all heard these arguments before. The, "Well you're a man, so you can't (have an opinion/speak about it/vote on it/even think about it) because you have no uterus and don't know what it's like to be a woman!" type of arguments are flawed when it comes to people whoa re pro-choice, because, guess what, NARAL was founded by 2 men originally, and only 1 of the 5 founders was a woman, and MEN passed Roe V. Wade, and MEN are abortion doctors, and yes MEN are pro-choice and vote as such. You (I'm talking about the pro-choicers that are like this of course) only seem to care about this if it is pro-life men. Where are all the people screaming at pro-choice men, "No uterus, no opinion!"? Same goes for the "government should stay out of it" argument. It was the GOVERNMENT that wrote in laws saying you could get an abortion in the first place. If you don't want the government in it, reject Roe V. Wade, and all other laws saying women have the right to choose abortion, and government officials who are pro-choice or vote that way.
The whole "No uterus, no opinion" thing is stupid and obviously sexist, and this is coming from a woman who does have a uterus. It's taking something about that person and saying that because of it, they don't get to have a voice. It's not like anyone would say a woman can't have an opinion on or talk about circumcision just because we don't have penises, and if anyone ever did, everyone would be crying "Sexist!" Same goes for a number of things. No one would say that white people can't talk about how bad owning slaves is just because they aren't black, and can't properly "understand". Perhaps they did say that in the day though, but now everyone would think that is stupid. People aren't defined by their race or gender or whatever else. To say they can't understand it because they don't belong to that group is even furthering the separation of groups.
The funny thing is that while it apparently only applies to pro-life men, much in the same way they are "pro-choice" yet don't let anyone choose to be pro-life, the statement itself is only based off of gender and not content of their views. Everyone has to be like them. Frankly, if they think a man is saying something stupid about abortion, the fact that they are saying something stupid should be enough. They could just say, "Well that's ridiculous and makes no sense", but instead they opt for the ad hominems, which always is a cue to other people that they honestly have no idea how to argue that so they look for something else to argue. Do they say "You're not a woman, so quit talking!" to men saying they think a woman has the right to choose or people should stay out of it? No they do not. I wonder what they would say if they saw someone yelling at a pro-choice man who is talking about how he thinks women should get to choose what they want, "You don't have a uterus, so you don't get an opinion! So shut up!" One would wonder why these men would want to be part of a group that doesn't allow their gender to speak, have an opinion, or make laws depending on their viewpoint anyway. Also, some women don't have uteruses. Don't pro-choice men hate the whole, "Only women are allowed to talk about this" aspect of it? Not to mention it actually is sexist against women as well because you are making it out to be a "woman's thing."
The whole "No uterus, no opinion" thing is stupid and obviously sexist, and this is coming from a woman who does have a uterus. It's taking something about that person and saying that because of it, they don't get to have a voice. It's not like anyone would say a woman can't have an opinion on or talk about circumcision just because we don't have penises, and if anyone ever did, everyone would be crying "Sexist!" Same goes for a number of things. No one would say that white people can't talk about how bad owning slaves is just because they aren't black, and can't properly "understand". Perhaps they did say that in the day though, but now everyone would think that is stupid. People aren't defined by their race or gender or whatever else. To say they can't understand it because they don't belong to that group is even furthering the separation of groups.
The funny thing is that while it apparently only applies to pro-life men, much in the same way they are "pro-choice" yet don't let anyone choose to be pro-life, the statement itself is only based off of gender and not content of their views. Everyone has to be like them. Frankly, if they think a man is saying something stupid about abortion, the fact that they are saying something stupid should be enough. They could just say, "Well that's ridiculous and makes no sense", but instead they opt for the ad hominems, which always is a cue to other people that they honestly have no idea how to argue that so they look for something else to argue. Do they say "You're not a woman, so quit talking!" to men saying they think a woman has the right to choose or people should stay out of it? No they do not. I wonder what they would say if they saw someone yelling at a pro-choice man who is talking about how he thinks women should get to choose what they want, "You don't have a uterus, so you don't get an opinion! So shut up!" One would wonder why these men would want to be part of a group that doesn't allow their gender to speak, have an opinion, or make laws depending on their viewpoint anyway. Also, some women don't have uteruses. Don't pro-choice men hate the whole, "Only women are allowed to talk about this" aspect of it? Not to mention it actually is sexist against women as well because you are making it out to be a "woman's thing."
Kristin, thank you so much! I am a man and was adopted as a baby; my mother was a poor graduate student who'd just broken up with her boyfriend. My adoptive father - the only one I've ever known - was also adopted as a baby. My biological great-great grandmother was either raped by or prostituted out to my great-grandfather's anonymous father in the barn where she was a milkmaid in Norway.
ReplyDeleteSo what do I, a man, have to say about abortion? Only this: if abortion had been legal in Norway in the late 19th century, I would probably never have existed. If my mother hadn't been raised a Catholic, I might not be alive. And if my dad's biological mother had been pro-choice, I would never have had the good education I had to avoid repeating the moral errors of my biological father and great-great grandfather.
It is sad and ironic to hear so many self-proclaimed feminists whine about men who talk about abortion. Whatever happened to equality? But to be honest, their sexism doesn't offend me. Their insinuation that I don't have the right to speak for my own skin does.
Hugh Hefner is a huge pro choice advocate.
ReplyDeleteObviously he wants to keep abortion legal so he can keep treating women like disposable semen recepticles.
Speak up guys, you have every right to give a vpice to the voiceless. Its not only female babies that are being slaughtered.
Abortion is a human rights issue, not a men's or women's issue.