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By Isaac Pilon

Men should not be shut out of the abortion debate. Their God-given duty as leaders and fathers makes them essential to the pro-life effort.

“No uterus, no opinion.” This sentiment is common in conversations concerning abortion — the idea that men should sit down and shut up. Although it’s crude and presents a fundamental misunderstanding of the pro-life issue, the demeaning argument has been effective in pushing some men to the sidelines. They don’t want to appear controlling and do not see how abortion affects them, so they remain silent or even advocate for “choice.” But it’s all based on lies. Men should rise as leaders to protect life because of their responsibility as fathers and their God-given duty to fight evil.

Reestablishing the value of fatherhood is crucial to ending abortion. Exit polling from Ohio’s Issue 1 showed the majority of married men (52%) voted against the law allowing abortion up until birth, while the majority of unmarried men (64%) voted for it. This contrast displays a problematic truth: unmarried men tend to support abortion because it gives them an emergency escape from fatherhood.

Liberated From Responsibility?

Since the covenant of marriage builds a foundation of stability and commitment, men becoming fathers within this relationship more readily embrace the role of protector and provider. Families started out of wedlock, however, do not enjoy these safeguards. Men pursuing casual sex and independence will cower at the thought of parenthood. Even if abortion seems morally questionable to these men, killing their own child seems like a better alternative than giving up their passive, gratifying lifestyle. Abortion advocates often speak of the “sexual liberation” their industry gives to women, yet they rarely talk about the liberation from responsibility it gives to men.

All the same, women desire support in this issue. A recent video on a college campus showed a pro-abortion proponent proclaiming that men should not tell a woman what to do with her body, but also that both the man and the woman are responsible for a pregnancy. She wanted men to be held accountable for their actions, but she was blind to the fact that abortion was the very thing preventing accountability.

The truth is, men should be held accountable. We should exhort men to embrace the responsibilities of fatherhood and encourage them to raise families within the sacred bounds of marriage. Yes, it will come with many challenges and requires courage, but the blessings outweigh the costs. Young men desire greater purpose and meaning in life — something that fatherhood offers — and we Christians can always point to the grace and perfect example our Father provides: “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him” (Psalm 103:13 ESV).

Abortion is Not a Single Sex Issue

Men also have a stake in the life issue, because we all have a duty to fight evil regardless of sex. Ultimately, the pro-life position is simple: it’s a scientific fact that human life begins at conception, and every innocent human life made in God’s image deserves dignity and the full protection of the law. Once euphemisms and arbitrary standards for unborn life are discarded, everyone can hold the pro-life position with moral clarity. It is abhorrent to kill a child in the womb, and the legalization of such a crime in many states is a great stain on our nation today.

The battle for unborn life in America is only beginning. Women can and should be at the front of our pro-life efforts, but we must not welcome the lie that this is a single sex issue. It is a gospel issue with implications for all mankind. Women and men should “hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate” (Amos 5:15a ESV). Men should rise up as strong fathers and leaders till all proclaim with the psalmist: “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psalm 127:3 ESV).

Originally published as The ‘Responsibility Liberation’: Why Men Need to be Part of the Pro-Life Effort at The Washington Stand. Image via Unsplash.