Who Are the Fathers Joining the Pro-Life Movement?

My VIPs for this week are the husbands, boyfriends, and male ex-partners who are “‘an unlikely new ally’ in the pro-life movement’s fight against abortion providers, as described by the Wall Street Journal. Sarah Holliday wrote about this new ally in her article published at The Daily Signal. She reminded her readers that conservatives have long recognized the “involvement of men in the pro-life cause” who “have consistently advocated for the protection of unborn life.

The Journal’s claim stems from a report highlighting a series of lawsuits filed by men in response to abortions obtained by their partners or ex-partners. These legal actions, primarily emerging from Texas, are part of a broader effort to challenge the accessibility of the abortion pill and its mail-order distribution system. According to the Journal, “The cases principally flow from Texas, which allows a parent to sue for the wrongful death of an unborn child. Many of the suits have been spearheaded by Jonathan F. Mitchell.”

Mitchell, the former Texas solicitor general, is a key figure in this legal movement. He crafted SB 8, a Texas law that “allows private litigants to bring civil lawsuits to enforce a prohibition on performing or aiding abortions after six weeks of pregnancy,” as the Journal noted. These recent lawsuits reflect the personal impact felt by men whose partners chose abortion, asserting that such decisions affect mothers as well as fathers….

As the Journal reported, “Many of the cases are still in the early stages, so courts haven’t yet tested the plaintiffs’ legal or factual claims.” Nevertheless, these efforts signal a growing recognition of fathers’ voices in the pro-life movement. Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, emphasized this shift, stating, “We’re starting to have fathers who feel that they can speak out and speak up for their rights and for the rights of the child.”

Texas has emerged as a leader in pro-life legislation, enacting laws to protect mothers, fathers, and unborn children. A notable example is the Women’s & Child Protection Act (HB 7), which recently passed the Texas House State Affairs Committee for the second time with an 8-4 vote. Inspired by advocacy from Students for Life Action (SFLA’s legislative arm), HB 7 “allows anyone who manufactures or provides access to Chemical Abortion Pills to be sued for up to $100,000 in damages,” according to the organization. This law targets the growing trend of mail-order abortion pills, which bypass traditional medical oversight….

As Family Research Council’s Mary Szoch shared with The Washington Stand, the notion that the Journal put forward, that men are a new ally to the pro-life movement, is a misguided one. “For years,” she said, “pro-abortionists have argued that because men cannot carry a baby, they have no right to speak out in defense of the unborn. This is simply untrue. Every human being has a mother and a father.” Szoch further emphasized that “it is a father’s job to protect and defend his children,” highlighting the inherent role men play in advocating for their families.

She went deeper, noting that men actually have far more influence in the decision many women make to have an abortion or not than they may realize. Szoch pointed to a study from the Charlotte Lozier Institute, which “shows that 70% of women who had an abortion felt coerced into the decision. If men were always willing to tell the mother of their child, ‘I’ll be here every step of the way – we’ll do this together, and I will protect and provide for our child,’ more women would confidently choose life.”

She argued that “the abortion industry knows this,” which is why “they want to make it seem as if men should not have a voice.” Szoch concluded with a hopeful note: “Praise God for the fathers who are standing up for their child even after his or her death. My hope is that it encourages more men to stand up for their child while there is still a chance for that child to live.”