Ohio Bill to Give Final Say on Abortion to Men

Look, I really don’t even want to write about this, as I think this bill has little chance of making it into law. If you’re not following along at home, Ohio State Representative John Adams has introduced a bill [HB287] that would make it illegal for a woman to obtain an abortion without the signed written consent of whomever contributed the sperm. It is what those familiar with TN State Rep Stacey Campfield might call stuntbaby legislation. It’s all for show.

In plain English, the bill states:
(B)(1)(2) Nobody can provide an abortion to woman without the written informed consent of the [biological] “father” of the fetus [or embryo?] . This is the case whether or not the fetus is viable.

(C)(1) If you’re pregnant and seeking abortion, you have to give the abortion provider a written statement with the name of biological father.

(2) Seriously, women, we mean it. You have to comply with the above.

(3) Women, don’t lie about the dude’s name.

(D) Men, don’t you dare lie for her.

(E) And, uh, on top of that, don’t you women be telling a man it’s his if it’s not. We can’t have you lying to the men. We know you want to.

(F) Okay, if it could have been 2 or 3 or 30 men as candidates, the abortion provider will be forced to do a paternity test. Whether you want it or not. Did we mention that it’s invasive at this stage? Then your provider has to figure out who the biological father is. It might take a couple of weeks for the results to come back from the lab. According to the American Pregnancy Association, you can’t even have the test until at least the 10th week. We have a cutoff at 24 weeks, and a waiting period in this state, little missy. Tick tock.
All of this has to happen, and then your provider will have to track down the right one and get his consent. No abortion until then.

(G) Ladies, you can’t just say you don’t know. That’s not good enough. We need your sexual history in writing.

(H)(1) [Divisions (B)(1) and (2)] Those first couple of sections don’t apply if you give up any of the following:

(a) Some kind of legal document that would prove that you got pregnant because of rape or incest. You did report it to the police, didn’t you?

(b) Or, you could have gone ahead and had your own paternity test done. Before you came here.

(2) If it would be to save your life or health, it would be okay to go ahead without the sperm donor’s consent. Be glad we’re feeling merciful today.

(I) We know it’s embarrassing to provide this information. It’s okay, it is confidential, and doesn’t become part of the public record. And we all know sensitive or confidential data has never been stolen or misused. Dudes claiming to be or known to be the biological father have access to the records, though. And the abortion provider. Oh, and any law enforcement officer who would like to investigate whether this law is being followed. Also…if we think you violated the law, the court and jury will have access to the records. A jury of your peers, as we say.

(J) The charge in violating this is “abortion fraud.” That’s catchy. It’s also a 1st degree misdemeanor. If you have previously been found guilty of violating this law, you’re moving up to a 5th degree felony. We told you not to mess with us.

In a bizarre turn of logic, Rep. Adams said:
“This is important because there are always two parents and fathers should have a say in the birth or the destruction of that child. I didn’t bring it up to draw attention to myself or to be controversial. In most cases, when a child is born the father has financial responsibility for that child, so he should have a say.”

The birth or destruction. The father only has financial responsibility if the child is born. Not if it isn’t. Why, then would this law give men final say over whether a woman can terminate a pregnancy, but not whether she can continue one? Because it sounds appalling that you would let men force a woman to have an abortion, so that would never be in such a bill. I’m not suggesting that it should, but Adams’s “financial responsibility” remark makes you wonder.

No word on how such a law would be enacted were the biological father not a resident of the state, or of the country, or if he or the list of candidates simply cannot be tracked down, or someone has to turn up at the house of a married but prominent member of society, or the girl’s relative’s house, or any other complicated situation in which could present itself.

Although, if a child is born, parenting and financial responsibility belongs to both parents, pregnancy is a uniquely female condition. Under this law, women would no longer have the final say over whether or not they may choose abortion, even while the procedure remains technically legal. The biological father does not have to provide a reason for withholding consent. He may simply feel vindictive. He is also not then required to participate in the life of the child resulting from a forced pregnancy. He is not subject straightaway to any tests of competence, maturity or reliability, and yet he gets to make the final call. The fact of the unique burden of pregnancy need not enter into the equation – it seems not to weight matters toward the woman’s preference and needs whatsoever. One article on the bill calls it the “less extreme” of two recently introduced in the Ohio legislature.

Says the Ohio Right to Life Director, “Currently, even in a marriage situation, a man has no right to even be informed of an abortion. But if a woman doesn’t have an abortion, men sure have a lot of responsibility then. It’s really not fair.” So, this is not about saving babies after all. It’s about making sure those womenfolk don’t take advantage. You do have to be mindful of balancing things out for men since they don’t have to be pregnant. They need some power, too. Joe Powell has a suggestion for the women, though. Make sure Rep. Adams is on your list of potential sperm donors.