The Wall Street Journal recently published a piece highlighting the rise in “men suing over their partners’ abortions.” The piece framed these lawsuits as mere ploys from the ‘anti-abortion movement’ to target abortion providers, suggesting that the male plaintiffs in these cases might be maliciously motivated and seeking vengeance for failed relationships. 

But is this really the case?

The piece failed to quote a single male plaintiff, or to consider the position from the fathers of aborted children themselves. 

Pro-life advocates and pro-abortion advocates seem to agree on one thing – that many women seek out abortions because they lack the support of their romantic partner, or others in their life. Pro-abortion advocates especially express disgust and bitterness over men’s ability to evade the consequences of unprotected sex, which allows irresponsible or bad men to abandon their sexual partners when these women need them most. 

Frankly, their disgust and bitterness is extremely understandable. Yet these same activists that villanize men for avoiding fatherhood lack compassion for the men who do not. 

Pro-life advocates have long agreed that men should be held accountable, and when safe, encouraged to take an active role in fatherhood for the sake of babies and moms. This is why so many pro-life organizations have programs and resources specifically designed to help mothers and fathers, to build stronger, healthier relationships, increase financial stability, and teach valuable parenting and life skills. 

These programs are designed out of compassion for men navigating fatherhood for the first time, and who want to support their partners but may not know how. Presumably, the men participating in such programs want to support their girlfriends, wives, or partners, but are likely intimidated by the daunting task before them. Yet their participation in these programs enables them to strive to be the best fathers possible, and to be prepared in welcoming the gift of life. These programs are a joyful reminder that men are involved in the creation of life too, and deserve to have a seat at the table when it comes to protecting, raising and supporting their children. 

Conversely, the pro-abortion movement attacks men for not supporting women while simultaneously silencing them when they do want a seat at the table, telling them that they have no say in the fate of their unborn child’s life. 

Just look at the details of one of the lawsuits cited by the Wall Street Journal – a Houston man discovered that his wife’s estranged-husband and mother conspired behind his back to end the life of two of his pre-born children. Or take the case of another Texas woman, who had a chemical abortion without telling her baby’s father. The father only found out when the woman began hemorrhaging and had to be rushed to the ER. 

Do these men not deserve compassion? If they are expected to man up and selflessly support the women they impregnate, are they not also deserving of having an opinion on whether the unborn child they created lives or dies?

Apparently, pro-abortion advocates don’t think so. But lawsuits brought by grieving fathers might prove otherwise.