Going round a full circle: When I first got acquainted with the US abortion debate I thought it was extremely weird how getting pregnant was interpreted as something that just happens to women, especially women who don't cross their legs. My friendly alien from outer space might imagine all "good" women hopping around with crossed legs lest that pollen somehow gets into them and causes conception.
Well, after a few years of practical education I forgot all about that and the invisible sperm-providing partner in any conception. Until today, when I was reading this piece at al-Jazeera and then the comments. Here's the comment worthy of our notice:
By the way the time to think about whether a baby will get in the way of your selfish pursuits is not after but rather before you spread open your legs.
What do you think our friendly alien (say, Allie or Al) would think about that? Probably that the avoid-the-pollen-theory is correct. If only women weren't spreading their legs everywhere, there would be no unwanted pregnancies!
More seriously, that spreading-the-legs argument is a very common one among forced-birthers. But the equivalent argument for men (perhaps to put a knot on it?) is essentially nonexistent. Those people assume that it's natural for men to seek sex wherever they can find it, natural for them not to consider whether a baby might get in the way of their selfish pursuits. And the wider culture pretty much agrees, though not all parts of it.
I'm now wondering what the maker of that comment I copied would say about the role of men in all this.
Would he (the handle is a male one) simply think that the game is a form of sexual football where the role of men is to try to kick the ball in the goal and then disappear, and the role of women is to guard the goal and get properly punished if they fail in that? What is selfish behavior in each gender? What behaviors are rewarded by the wider society for each gender?