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Men and Abortion

menandabortion1

Of the dozens of books and articles written about the effect of abortion on men, one the most interesting and comprehensive is Arthur Shostak and Gary McLouth’s Men and Abortion.

It consists mainly of interviews with 1,000 men in thirty U. S. abortion clinics waiting for their partners having abortions. It seems to have captured their various attitudes of indifference, guilt, or fear of harm to their partners.

Book Remains Relevant

While the book was written in the mid-80’s, it probably echoes interviews that would be conducted today.

What is unusual about the book is not the finding that many men go through grief and loss almost as much as women, or that most men get no counseling but are ignored or even mistreated by abortion clinic staff.

Also not unusual are feelings of guilt, shame and loss of manhood when taking part in an abortion. Nor are the outrageous lies some men use — that the abortion experience can make them stronger, and even turn them into better fathers.

My Chapter Brings Balance to the Book

But what I thought was unusual about the book, and which surprised me at the time, was Shostak’s invitation for me to write a chapter.

In my seven pages I put the lie to almost everything in the essentially pro-abortion book.

Now, having just reread Men and Abortion, I am grateful that the authors were fair enough to allow a look at “the other side,” in which I was able to include the moral, psychological and social effects of abortion on men. While I am certain many who read the book were furious with my view of men involved in abortion, I must give Shostak credit for allowing some truth to creep into his masterpiece.

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