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JustJess · 04-25-2005, 10:12 AM

The problem is many-faceted. I think Supple Cow is onto something... In my utopian world, this is what I'd like to see happen:
True, real-life sex education for everyone. Especially in the poorer areas, rural areas, etc. Education and free condoms for all. You can’t stop people from having sex. But if we had some real education that covers all the options – abstinence unless you’ve had ‘the talk about the possible outcomes’, condoms, sponges, etc, etc, etc – perhaps that might help. And education about what happens after the sex.

I’d like to see a legal/social agency who is there to help mediate between parties to arrive at mutually acceptable resolutions.
The examples: the father wants to take care of the baby himself and the mother does not want the baby – now, I do think that she should have the ultimate decision because it’s HER body. However, perhaps there would be fewer instances of this if there were mediation, someone to help with a little perspective – maybe help a woman see that if she is generous with 9 months of her life, she can give that guy who actually wants to take responsibility what he wants and then she’ll be done with it. Unfortunately, part of being a male is that if you have sex and a pregnancy results, not only do you have to deal with the possible child, you ALSO have to deal with the possible abortion. Just like she does.
What about fiscal responsibility? Well, if we continue with the idea of mediation, we could use that as a channel of finding a balance that both parties can live with. Perhaps have the 50% cost of abortion/recovery be the minimum allowable contribution from the man. Even if she has the baby, she’s going to have costs that that money can contribute to. And depending on the relationship and circumstances of how she ended up pregnant in the first place, that can be the basis to determine how responsible the man should be. All mediation should be resolved within 2 months of conception so that the options are not limited. This way, he has to be a least partially emotionally and fiscally involved, and can have a discussion about what to do next. Because it’s her body, the mediation would not be legally binding (as in she would HAVE to do whatever they agreed to), but if she chooses to go a route other than the agreed-upon resolution, then she will have total fiscal responsibility.
How does that sound?

04-25-2005, 10:12 AM	#70 (permalink)
JustJess Unencapsulated Location: Kittyville	The problem is many-faceted. I think Supple Cow is onto something... In my utopian world, this is what I'd like to see happen: True, real-life sex education for everyone. Especially in the poorer areas, rural areas, etc. Education and free condoms for all. You can’t stop people from having sex. But if we had some real education that covers all the options – abstinence unless you’ve had ‘the talk about the possible outcomes’, condoms, sponges, etc, etc, etc – perhaps that might help. And education about what happens after the sex. I’d like to see a legal/social agency who is there to help mediate between parties to arrive at mutually acceptable resolutions. The examples: the father wants to take care of the baby himself and the mother does not want the baby – now, I do think that she should have the ultimate decision because it’s HER body. However, perhaps there would be fewer instances of this if there were mediation, someone to help with a little perspective – maybe help a woman see that if she is generous with 9 months of her life, she can give that guy who actually wants to take responsibility what he wants and then she’ll be done with it. Unfortunately, part of being a male is that if you have sex and a pregnancy results, not only do you have to deal with the possible child, you ALSO have to deal with the possible abortion. Just like she does. What about fiscal responsibility? Well, if we continue with the idea of mediation, we could use that as a channel of finding a balance that both parties can live with. Perhaps have the 50% cost of abortion/recovery be the minimum allowable contribution from the man. Even if she has the baby, she’s going to have costs that that money can contribute to. And depending on the relationship and circumstances of how she ended up pregnant in the first place, that can be the basis to determine how responsible the man should be. All mediation should be resolved within 2 months of conception so that the options are not limited. This way, he has to be a least partially emotionally and fiscally involved, and can have a discussion about what to do next. Because it’s her body, the mediation would not be legally binding (as in she would HAVE to do whatever they agreed to), but if she chooses to go a route other than the agreed-upon resolution, then she will have total fiscal responsibility. How does that sound? __________________ My heart knows me better than I know myself, so I'm gonna let it do all the talkin'.