Abortion - Male Privilege

[onthemove]

I know my naivete is showing, but how exactly does one get to be in government and decide, I think I should pass a law that really has no bearing on my own life, without at least once, thinking about the other side??!!

link

[runaways]

Your link doesn't work. But I tend to think it's at least partly the same attitude that's been discussed in the rapey frat thread, in which women are seen as things to be used (or in this case, controlled) rather than people with agency.

[onthemove]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBKieGz5QiM or www.upworthy.com/a-dude-trying-to-ban-abortions-is-asked-a-question-he-never-considered-its-so-obvious-it-hurts-8

Do either of those work? How will I ever become a regular if I can't post a link?!

[hopecounts]

Apr 23, 2014 13:18:48 GMT -5 onthemove said:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBKieGz5QiM or www.upworthy.com/a-dude-trying-to-ban-abortions-is-asked-a-question-he-never-considered-its-so-obvious-it-hurts-8

Do either of those work? How will I ever become a regular if I can't post a link?!

This one works.
And it proves runaways point.

It's largely because they don't see women as individuals with feelings and thoughts who can think for themselves. Hence, why he never thought about why a woman would choose to have an abortion.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Apr 23, 2014 13:27:06 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

Apr 23, 2014 13:18:48 GMT -5 onthemove said:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBKieGz5QiM or www.upworthy.com/a-dude-trying-to-ban-abortions-is-asked-a-question-he-never-considered-its-so-obvious-it-hurts-8

Do either of those work? How will I ever become a regular if I can't post a link?!

This one works.
And it proves runaways point.

It's largely because they don't see women as individuals with feelings and thoughts who can think for themselves. Hence, why he never thought about why a woman would choose to have an abortion.

I think its simpler than that. I think its that the reason a woman might get an abortion is irrelevant.

I mean, this guy sounds like an idiot, for sure, but if you're against abortion because you think its murder, why a woman would want to get one shouldn't really matter.

[ttt]

Apr 23, 2014 13:38:14 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Apr 23, 2014 13:27:06 GMT -5 hopecounts said:

This one works.
And it proves runaways point.

It's largely because they don't see women as individuals with feelings and thoughts who can think for themselves. Hence, why he never thought about why a woman would choose to have an abortion.

I think its simpler than that. I think its that the reason a woman might get an abortion is irrelevant.

I mean, this guy sounds like an idiot, for sure, but if you're against abortion because you think its murder, why a woman would want to get one shouldn't really matter.

This. And these are people for whom the world is black and white and there are no shades of gray in between. 

[lya]

I think it has to do with the ability/willingness to consider shades of grey. There have been studies that show those on the extreme ends of a spectrum (in this case, both the far right and the far left) tend to see the world in black and white. Those in the center tend to consider more shades of grey. Viewing abortion as murder and therefore it is always, or almost always, wrong is a much simpler position. Allowing for the fact that there are many factors that go into the decision, the concept that you can be pro-choice but choose to have children, etc are more complicated and are not conducive to black and white world views.

[Nonny]

Seriously?  Seriously!?!  He's never once thought of any of the dozens of reasons why a woman might want an abortion?  How do people like this 1) make it through life, and 2) get elected?

I'm torn about wanting to watch the full documentary, because I think it will just infuriate me.

[anastasia517]

Less than 30 seconds into the documentary referenced, they refer to themselves as "survivors of the abortion holocaust". Nope. There is no way you can reason with people who don't realize how offensive that term is.

[lya]

Apr 23, 2014 14:01:44 GMT -5 anastasia517 said:

Less than 30 seconds into the documentary referenced, they refer to themselves as "survivors of the abortion holocaust". Nope. There is no way you can reason with people who don't realize how offensive that term is.

[carowen]

I feel like this is the case with all sorts of things though, people pass laws/etc based on what THEY think is best without truly delving into the nuances of life that may lead to people making different choices. After all, we are all colored by our own perspectives no matter how hard we try to remain unbaised and consider others views.

And it does not surprise me at all that a man, who would never have to face pregnancy period, would fail to consider the many shades of gray involving terminating a pregnancy.

[PinkSquirrel]

Frankly, I think they just don't give a fuck. They don't care what the reasons are because it will never affect them. And I don't say that in just a men can't get pregnant sense. Politicians, for the most part, are rich (at least at higher levels). They will never have to choose between having an abortion and being able to continue to feed the child they already have. They will never have to worry about whether or not insurance/medicaid covers abortion because they have enough money in their bank accounts to cover the costs. It's not just about them being men, it's about them being rich, white men who even when their families face the decision of whether or not to have an abortion they will ALWAYS still have the choice. They don't give a fuck because it doesn't affect them

[fiveoclock]

Religion. It's all about religion. I think religion needs to stay the fuck out of politics. That is all.

[Velvetshady]

Apr 23, 2014 14:08:42 GMT -5 PinkSquirrel said:

Frankly, I think they just don't give a fuck. They don't care what the reasons are because it will never affect them. And I don't say that in just a men can't get pregnant sense. Politicians, for the most part, are rich (at least at higher levels). They will never have to choose between having an abortion and being able to continue to feed the child you have, or continuing a pregnancy that may leave you all struggling for enough food. They will never have to worry about whether or not insurance/medicaid covers abortion because they have enough money in their bank accounts to cover the costs. It's not just about them being men, it's about them being rich, white men who even when their families face the decision of whether or not to have an abortion they will ALWAYS still have the choice. They don't give a fuck because it doesn't affect them

I agree.

I also think that if there was some magic way to actually require men to be responsible for all their offspring, they would suddenly start to consider other viewpoints they never thought mattered before. Not just a way that all kids actually receive real financial support from their natural father, but that the natural father is physically the primary caregiver for at least 12 hours per day (and only 4 of those should include sleeping time), every day, all year long, for 18 years, when the kid is sick or healthy, for each and every kid they create.  I think their views on many things would suddenly expand and include more shades of gray.

[sushi]

Apr 23, 2014 14:01:44 GMT -5 anastasia517 said:

Less than 30 seconds into the documentary referenced, they refer to themselves as "survivors of the abortion holocaust". Nope. There is no way you can reason with people who don't realize how offensive that term is.

That's a common line. Mike Huckabee favors it. I think I've heard Santorum uses it too.

[anastasia517]

Apr 23, 2014 14:18:13 GMT -5 sushi said:

Apr 23, 2014 14:01:44 GMT -5 anastasia517 said:

Less than 30 seconds into the documentary referenced, they refer to themselves as "survivors of the abortion holocaust". Nope. There is no way you can reason with people who don't realize how offensive that term is.

That's a common line. Mike Huckabee favors it. I think I've heard Santorum uses it too.

I've heard it before, but I didn't realize that it was that common.  Ugh.

[PinkSquirrel]

Apr 23, 2014 14:24:39 GMT -5 anastasia517 said:

Apr 23, 2014 14:18:13 GMT -5 sushi said:

That's a common line. Mike Huckabee favors it. I think I've heard Santorum uses it too.

I've heard it before, but I didn't realize that it was that common.  Ugh.

It's been around for awhile.  I know I first heard/saw it 10 years ago this month. 

[anastasia517]

Apr 23, 2014 15:46:14 GMT -5 PinkSquirrel said:

Apr 23, 2014 14:24:39 GMT -5 anastasia517 said:

I've heard it before, but I didn't realize that it was that common.  Ugh.

It's been around for awhile.  I know I first heard/saw it 10 years ago this month. 

I hate how long stupid can stick around and seems to be contagious.

[tinfoilhat]

I think it is all about control to assholes like this. Women are second to men for many reasons and should always defer to the knowledge and leadership of men. A woman should never get to make a decision that could in any way effect a man without his input and approval.

[PinkSquirrel]

Apr 23, 2014 16:05:11 GMT -5 asdfjkl said:

Apr 23, 2014 14:14:54 GMT -5 fiveoclock said:

Religion. It's all about religion. I think religion needs to stay the fuck out of politics. That is all.

Yes and no.  I believe that there are a large number of people who believe that abortion is about religion, that it is an affront to God.  I think those people are the pawns of the corporate class that want to get people to the polls voting against abortion so that they can turn around and put into place policies that favor corporations rather than actual people.  I know it seems odd, but I don't think you would have had the decision in Citizens United *without* the anti-abortion crowd.  I don't think most politicians are really pro-life.  I think they just court that demographic so that they can push through tax policies and corporate contracts that favor the economic elite. 

Keeping people down, not giving people total control over their lives etc. is something that works out pretty damn well for a lot of people.   

[Deleted]

I think it's a lack of empathy. That simple. Most (not all) pro-life conservative politicians seem to be in a stable situation that could accommodate another baby. I think it's hard for them to truly understand poverty, single parenthood, or emotional complications that aren't conducive to another kid. I say "another" because most abortions are performed on women who are already mothers and who are not minors, contrary to popular opinion.