11/06/07

Reproductive Choice - It's Not Just for Women Anymore

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By WolfmanMac
Can the body of one person be used against their will to satisfy the desires of another? This is a simple question which no person who believes in justice, liberty or individual rights could possibly answer in the affirmative. Indeed, it is a question long settled with respect to all identifiable groups in the United States save one (men). Since the abolition of the institution of slavery, men have been exempted from this simple principle in at least two areas – the draft and reproductive freedom. The latter issue is before us at this time in the case of Roman v. Roman, now before the Texas Supreme Court.
In 1996 Randy Roman met Augusta. They were married six months later. Their first attempt at children ended in miscarriage. They turned to a fertility clinic for assistance where eggs were taken from Augusta and fertilized with sperm from Randy; these eggs were to be re-implanted into Augusta. Shortly (hours) before the implantation was to occur, Randy changed his mind, expressed doubts about the marriage and suggested they seek counseling. The embryos were frozen for possible use at a later time. When proceedings for divorce were initiated, a court battle for custody and control of the embryos ensued. Randy wants the embryos destroyed or maintained in their present state; Augusta demands that they be implanted in her. Randy points to an agreement signed by both of them giving him the right to change his mind prior to implantation; Augusta says this is her last chance to become a mother -she is 44 and the three frozen embryos are her last. Further, she is willing to absolve Randy of all responsibility for his offspring.
The trial court found for Augusta, but the decision was reversed by the appellate court. It is now before the Texas Supreme Court.
On June 1st, Augusta appeared with her attorney on Fox’s “Morning Show with Mike and Juliet.” Also present were Men’s Rights Activist Glenn Sacks and Attorney Jeanine Pirro. The arguments were instructive – the attitudes on display more so.
Augusta and her attorney both reminded the audience that they sought to impose upon Randy no obligations, financial or otherwise. All Augusta wanted was to have children, and at her age this was likely her last chance. Glenn’s argument that at 44, Augusta’s body had long been capable of producing children and Randy did not deserve to bear the burden for her decision to remain childless until her forties met with some opposition from the panel. “That’s an easy thing for a man to say,” said Host Mike Jerrick. Hostess Juliet Huddy chimed in, asserting her own childlessness and then reminding Glenn it was none of his business why she (Juliet) had not chosen to have children, as if Glenn had brought up Juliet’s presently barren status in the first place.
Then Mike pointed out to Glenn what I’m sure he thought was a salient point – “She has the urge – the need – to have children.”
This speaks volumes. However powerful Augusta’s desire for children, by no stretch of the imagination can be it be termed a need. But such is the level to which debates on the rights of men in general, and in particular their rights respecting fatherhood have sunk. A woman’s desires equal a woman’s needs – a man’s desires equal a selfish attempt to deny a woman her happiness.
Randy does not want to have a child with this woman. The fact that he withdrew consent shortly before the implantation after having previously given his consent is not a relevant issue under any circumstances, but particularly so when a prior written agreement signed by both parties affirmed the rights of either party to do exactly that. In any other bargain between two people, be it sexual intercourse, marriage or even buying a loaf of bread, consent to consummate the deal is revocable at any time until the deal is completed. Indeed, feminists have argued (and both statutory and case law have affirmed) that in the case of intercourse, consent can be withdrawn at any time during the act and in some cases even after. When the shoe is on the other foot respecting pregnancy, a woman married or otherwise can withdraw her consent and terminate the pregnancy at any time, up to and including the time of birth without even informing the father – and if a man wants children but his wife does not, his only recourse is acceptance of her decision or divorce court. This is all justified under the slogan “her body-her choice.” Perhaps this is as it should be.
However, if that is indeed how it should be, what chutzpah motivates the attempt to force this man to become a father when he not only does not want to be, but has clearly, unequivocally and publicly withdrawn his consent? What is one to make of the idea that to force a woman to have intercourse (rape), or to even require her to inform the father of an abortion if she is pregnant constitutes an abhorrent denial of one’s basic civil rights (and in the case of rape it clearly does), but forcing a man to become a father for the sake of a woman’s emotional gratification does not?
Aside from the fact that Augusta seeks to force Mike to endure the emotional burden of being the father of a child he will never see, she seeks to burden a child with fatherlessness, and to do so with malice aforethought. There should be no debate remaining about the effects of fatherlessness on children and by extension society. Regrettably, there is. The idea that men are redundant remains alive and well - and that idea is displayed in this case at least to the degree that thus far, no mention of this aspect of the case has been made.

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Categories: Announcements   English (US)
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Comment from: ms_hgrits@yahoo.com [Visitor]

I agree. I am sorry about her choice to wait until 44 to have children, and then to choose a man who ultimately did not want children. But to force that man to "father" a child, and then to purposely seek single parenting will be just another in a long list of poor choices on the part of this individual. As a single mom, I bear witness to the fact that fathers are a necessity, not just a luxury. It takes a man and a woman to make a child because it takes a man and a woman to raise a child. We may have to deal with less than ideal circumstances, and in many cases, that means raising a child as a single mom or single dad. But let's not force a less than ideal situation here. I hope the courts rule in his favor.
 
Permalink 10/23/07 @ 01:24

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