If some men view child support as a form of slavery, how is it they do not understand

Question

that forced gestation is also a form of slavery?

What would you suggest to make reproductive rights fair for everyone?

Answer 1

In the western world:

"Child support" is real and draconian.

"Forced gestation" does not exist.

This is tantamount to comparing the death penalty to the Easter Bunny.

There are only two valid possibilities for equality in reproduction, neither are going to satisfy all:

1) Both parents have the same, or similar, post conception options. This would mean both parents have the ability not to become a parent, whether by abortion (for women), abandonment or legally denying responsibility (for both).

2) Neither having post-conception options. Any pregnancy produced is the responsibility of both parents with equal rights and responsibilities toward any children produced by their choice to engage in s*x.

The current problem is that women have all the options in regard to reproduction, from conception to custody while men have the responsibility that the mother chooses for him, having none of his own.

Answer 2

If you consent to s*x, you consent to raising a child. For women, that means going through pregnancy. For men, it means paying child support. We should all take responsibility for our actions.

Simple as that.  

Answer 3

My only problem with child support is there's no accounting for where the money goes.  For some, it turns into wife welfare.  And unless there's a prior written agreement, there is no tax deduction here.  

I am in full agreement though, that the money should be for raising the children.  And if the ex needs a new car to do that, while I drive a beat up 10 y/o clunker, that's fine.  And lives in the home we formerly owned, while I live out my days in a cramped, cracker box apartment, 50 miles from my job because I can't afford the rent anywhere closer,  that's OK too.  But please don't tell me it's just not enough, because you can't manage your money.

Answer 4

The same men who whine about women getting abortions,  or whine that the children are placed for adoption, without their consent, are the ones who whine about men having to pay child support.  

Women give birth we can't change that.   Children have the right to be supported by both parents.   I'm not sure we can ever make this "fair" for everyone.    

EDIT:

Again children have the right to be supported by both parents!

Answer 5

I agree with Doggie.  Not many women in the U.S. these days are forced to gestate a child for 9 months.  Especially since 1974, American women have had the full freedom to make family planning choices even AFTER they'd had s*x and conception has taken place.

So exactly who is this horrible person that FORCED you to gestate a child?

Answer 6

'Simple as that'? ....??? anyway I think the men that view child support as slavery surely must be joking! Unless the woman tied them up and using a needle sucked the sperm out of him, he had consent to do it.

And what is the alternative? The good old tax payer will pay for it!!

As it is qomen that have the ultimate choice, why don't these men for their own good just sit down and talk to their sleeping partner about consequences BEFORE THEY DROP THEIR PANTS!!

Answer 7

I Have a brother who was in the military and he and his girlfriend had his daughter while he was in iraq and while he was over there he sent them money brought them a computer help pay rent everything and she dumped him while he was over there then when he comes back she pretends to get back with him takes to the child support agency which tells him to pay child support when he was doing it plus the army already to some out of his check to do so. Then on top of that she wouldnt let him see his daughter when he wanted to when he came back home for a month. so the child support system can be unfair

Answer 8

Birth control.  

Also- Men should stay out of long term relationships, like they say: '... earning money someone else spends, and ultimately dieing sooner'.  

Yeah, it makes no sense to me either.

Answer 9

Of course forced gestation is a form of slavery, but almost all women concieve either through choice or accident, not through force.

Reproductive rights can never be fair for the simple reason that men cannot gestate.  Biology determines this.

If you conceived and were forced to carry to term, I would ask where you live.  No western country, except Ireland to my knowledge, has forced a pregnant female to carry to term in decades.

Answer 10

There was a time that s*x was a sacred thing of giving ones self to another in love. Unfortunately it has become no more than two dogs humping. That is why now that women are demanding pro choice because it is a way for them to cover their guilt by an illegal society, and men complain that they should have to pay for their mistake. Doesn,t it seem hypocritical that they can pay for a prostitute but can,t pay for a random humping? It makes me sick to see what the world has become with no feeling for consciquences on having a child that grows up being an unwanted "mistake". How can people be so selfish? I feel if you have enough sense to know what may come from a one night stand, that you also should expect the outcome of a possible mistake and take precautions to prevent it. Instead of complaining, think of how a child is going to feel without parents. I know. It happened to me.

Answer 11

If you think a fetus is alive -as I do- then abortion is murder, and murder is unacceptable. If you consent to s*x, which is primarily a procreative act, you've consented to the risk of pregnancy.

You can't act like you didn't know it was going to happen and then kill the kid. You don't have to keep it, and some day we'll be able to grow babies in test tubes and get rid of the whole problem.

At the end of the day, because of the way nature worked out, we women have a much larger portion of reproductive responsibility. No amount of legislation is going to change that. It's our responsibility as childbearers to be well-insured against pregnancy, and to have partners who are willing to shoulder the burden.

Or, you can come to an agreement with the father. Say he doesn't have to pay child support. Children don't have a 'right to be supported by both parents.' It's nice if that happens, but children have the same rights as anyone else; no more, no less. They have the right to:

-Life

-Liberty

-Property (a combination of life and property rights ensures liberty)

All parents have to do is not kill the kid. They can send the kid off to an orphanage, grow it in a test tube, or just about anything else. Since the father was one of the creators of the child, he gets a say. Seems pretty simple to me.

Oh and for what it's worth, I'm an atheist anarchist who believes in the same rights for everyone. I figure you were probably going to denounce me as a religious fundamentalist who wants to legislate away your 'right' to abortion.

Answer 12

The simple way to make it fair would be to give these potential father a say in the abortion process. If abortion remains legal then if he doesn't want to be a father he should be able to request one IMO. After all its not like she can't get herself pregnant again with a man who wants a child.

The idea that because you have s*x with a woman automatically means you then surrender to her will amazes me that any pro-choice person deems that as fair.

If thats too much of a stretch then letting him sign away his paternal rights and cutting him out of any responsibility if he isn't ready for a child or doesn't want a child or whatever his reason would be equally as fair.

(If you can't force a woman into motherhood, it can stand to reason that you shouldn't be able to force a man into fatherhood)

Answer 13

It can never be 100 percent fair for everyone while gestation takes place in a woman's body. If gestation can ever be accomplished outside the body by scientific means in the future, that's when everything will become equal.

Answer 14

I was going to say almost the same thing Charssc said.  She said it better though, so I'll just reference her answer.

Answer 15

I think it would be fair if men could both opt out of their responsibility and role (no contact) as parents as well as set up a paid gestation contract, much like surrogacy.  The only catch would be that the woman would obviously have to agree to it.  Some may never accept it, but some may have a price.

Answer 16

Forced insemination is consistent with rape or sexual assault/battery.  These are criminal offenses in my jurisdiction.

Answer 17

What the h**?  How can anyone view "child support" as "slavery?"  I guess any boy that is immature and stupid.  Does that boy really know what "slavery" is? When you help make a child, you have to become a parent. That's just what a responsible parent does. If legally demanding child support is as close as getting a guy to care for his own flesh and blood, then that's what a mother has to do.  And guess what - we live in 2008 where you CAN RECEIVE FREE BIRTH CONTROL. That means no gestation will ever happen if you are responsible enough to put ya self on birth control.

Answer 18

if there is anybody here that has no problem with the way government spends your money, than by all means stand up for this injustice of men complaining about child support.