Is There A Moral Argument For Forced Fatherhood?

The issue of forced fatherhood raises ethical questions about the responsibility of men for children they do not want and the impact of gender inequalities on this issue. The government’s goal of collecting child support from men whose biological fathers is unknown is driving the new definition of “fatherhood”. The National High School Ethics Bowl promotes respectful, supportive, and rigorous discussion of ethics among high school students. Political philosopher Elizabeth Brake has argued that policies should give men who accidentally impregnate a woman more options, and feminists should also consider this.

The Hyde Amendment and conservative attacks on reproductive rights and abortion access have led to debates on forced fatherhood. Surrogacy motherhood violates the dignity of both the surrogate mother and the child. Forced fatherhood is not fair, as women can choose to have an abortion and ignore the child, while fathers are forced into parenthood without their consent.

Forcing men into parenthood is far from fair, as both men and women can be deceived or taken advantage of. Father’s rights groups claim that between 10-30% of children are being parented by men who are unaware they are not the genetic father. It is possible for prospective mothers to wrong prospective fathers by bearing their child, and lifting paternal liability for them is necessary. If either partner does not want to become a parent at this time or with this partner, then the woman should have an abortion.