The topic of “abortion” is a critical subject in contemporary debates, central to women’s ongoing struggle for fundamental rights. It involves complex factors, including religion and politics, and even explores a hypothetical scenario where men take on childbirth and caregiving. In “The Abortion Bible” by Michael Lee, these issues are thoroughly examined. The book delves into intricate abortion laws and their intersections with patriarchy, providing a comprehensive analysis of their impact on women’s autonomy, healthcare, and gender equality. Abortion is not just about reproductive rights; it’s deeply connected to the broader construct of patriarchy.
Historically, patriarchy is deeply rooted in all cultures globally, which has shown men controlling the women, including their reproductive system. Usually, the choices regarding the women body were made by their husbands, fathers and the religious scholars. This unethical control over the women body has led to women suffering from forced abortions and emotional distress. The author has demonstrated how the restricted laws have been scaled back but are still in effect over time with references from the book that are underlined.
Furthermore, it deepens to how the legal restrictions would differ if the man had babies and they were reproducing analyzing that the situation would have been completely different as such harsh restrictions would not have been enforced and rather men would have been granted the freedom over their bodies. Unlike, how the patriarchal system deals with the women leaving them with no choice but to follow what they embark on. In addition, the issue would also not be a moral topic but rather a private choice of a man to choose what he wishes for himself.
The author Michael, who hails from California and is a former Republican supporter, who has greatly pictured the law of abortion in the US. According to him, the laws are contradictive and withstanding with the political agendas rather than the women’s right to freedom. Whereas, in other catholic countries the laws are women centric allowing them the freedom of their reproductive choices and promoting liberalism. This shows that even in developed countries like US where it is believed that the world is too fast and equality exist between both genders, there is a major drawback of contradictive laws for abortion or even gun laws.
The classic example is of Mexico today for decriminalizing abortion law which shows that the some countries are moving toward providing pro women rights which ensures that the women’s safety is not at stake and the women are being heard and given the status that they deserve. Under the dynamics of patriarchy, men have treated women as objects and rather controlled them in an unethical way by taking away the personal rights of their body. However, if they would have been at this place it would have been impossible for men to survive in such society.
Michael, in his book has realistically explained the dynamics in the patriarchy society are improvised and how the legal laws would have differed if they were about the men giving birth. The men in the society have always had an upper hand over the women. Moreover, if the issue would have lie with the men it would have stayed private rather than moral. This shows the hypocrisy and the power of patriarchy all over the world. However, with the rights of women being more recognized today, the women are also given rights over their body in different parts of the world such as Ireland and Mexico.
