This is a theoretical diary about certain problems that could occur with feminism taking a pro-choice stance. I don't mean to disparage or encourage that stance; I just want to have the cards on the table...

Feminism asserts that abortion is a "women's rights issue". (Quote marks are intended to designate actual quoting, and not disparaging attention.)

The alternative is for abortion to be a "couples' rights issue", or an "embyros' rights issue." There are probably also many other possible stances.

With the "women's rights" view of abortion, even if the man in a heterosexual couple wanted a child aborted, the woman in the couple would have the ultimate decision.

Suppose that the man wanted the child aborted, but the woman wanted the child to be born. When the child gets born, the man will probably not settle down to take care of it, unless he has a mercurial change-in-heart.

So what happens next? Probably, the woman attempts to get child support from the man. And this is where the conflict of interest lies.

This dilemma can be taken in many ways.

The easiest way to phrase it is this: Feminism is "the attempt to make the sexes equal," and if women can choose their parenthood but men can't, then any attempt to make the sexes equal would either empower men or disempower women on this issue.

So, feminism has four and only four options:

(1) Take a pro-life stance.

(2) Include men somehow in the decision to raise or raze a child. (That is, shift the issue from "women's rights" to "couples' rights," nominally and substantially.)

(3) Abandon the title of feminism as "the push for equal rights between the sexes," and replace it with "the push for the advancement of female rights." It should be noted that, while this is not preferable, feminism has kept a name suggestive of the latter definition, even though they have moved their definition to the former. We would not expect for equal gender rights to be called "feminism," but rather something like "gender egalitarianism."

(4) Abandon rationality.

Of these options, (4) and (3) are probably unilaterally unlikeable, and (1) poses such a massive threat to integrity that it is unreasonable. That leaves (2), which, while it's an awkward solution, it does appear to be the only one.

Thoughts?

Woohoo! Thanks for the support that MyDDers have lended. If you've got an borderline-election-choice conservative friend who has not yet voted today, you can direct them to my works and see if it doesn't change their mind.

46 reasons that made a social conservative vote Kerry over Bush. I hope that you find these helpful; I have.

http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?keyword=election&user=kentox&sortby=des

I am a social conservative who this year is supporting John Kerry. I've been putting out a reason for my decision for 39 days now, and today makes the 40th.

Now that I'm into these last days, I'm going through why I support Kerry over Bush on ALL the issues. Abortion was covered yesterday. Today, I have an article called "The Rights of the People," about civil liberties.

The article is reproduced below. In addition, the index of all articles is available here, which is up-to-date at the moment:

http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?keyword=election&user=kentox&sortby=des

Tomorrow's entry will be on economics.

Since this is so positive, I've posted it in my extended entry. It's a quick summary of what Kerry has done to win the trust of Americans.

The whole archive can be accessed at:

http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?keyword=election&user=kentox&sortby=des

As a conservative, I recognize that there is only one conservative candidate in this election. Status quo and marriage amendments do not go hand in hand. status quo and assault weapons proliferation do not go hand in hand.

And most importantly, killing the pro-life cause by signing it into federal law instead of going to the states first? It's a horrible breach of what the Constitution grants; it will destroy us pro-lifers in the long run. It's the worst political posturing I've ever seen: look like you help them to get their votes, while your actions screw them over forever.

So I'm supporting Kerry. Here's Reason 35.

That's right, I'm 2/3rds of the way there! In fact, I'll definitely be going past the original 45 -- On election day I hope to post at 1 AM to give everyone a 47th conservative reason to vote for Kerry, before I lay me down to sleep.

The entries can be accessed at

http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?keyword=election&user=kentox&sortby=des

Read them all! Change your mind! Invite a friend to change their mind!

As always, I am fully willing to further explain my views...if you are willing to take the time to provide criticism.

I'm a social conservative voting for John Kerry, and I'm using the recent diaries listing on the mydd.com page to advertise my work.

I have passed the halfway point of my goal. My goal is to get to 45 posts--one for each day through October 31st. I will probably toss up a 46th post the day before the election, and if you're lucky, a 47th on the morning of the election.

One reason per day, why I'm voting Kerry instead of Bush. I'm not sure I'll make it, even to 45/46, but I'm trying.

My last post today was #25. You can get a page to access them all at

http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?keyword=election&user=kentox&sortby=des

Enjoy.

I'm a social conservative voting for John Kerry, and I'm using the recent diaries listing on the mydd.com page to advertise my work.

My current project is one-reason-per-day, why I'm voting Kerry instead of Bush. I'm not sure I'll make it to 45/46, but I'm trying.

My last post today was #20. You can get a page to access them all at

http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?keyword=election&user=kentox&sortby=des

Enjoy.

Read it if you like. I'm probably not going to announce every single one around here, but the e-mail feedback I got was very nice, so I figured that I'd advertise #10.

The index page:
http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=kentox&keyword=election&filter=all

The latest:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/kentox/159178.html?mode=reply

Or if you prefer, reason #10 is also right here in the extended entry.

As always, I'm open to debate or questions or constructive criticism on any of my points.