Dear Gentlemen,
Across our nation, women’s reproductive rights are facing relentless attacks. If you wished anyone a Happy Mother’s Day but are not actively advocating for a woman’s right to make decisions about her own reproductive health, then you are being hypocritical. Celebrating motherhood while stripping women of control over their bodies is a contradiction we cannot afford.
To truly honor mothers—past, present, and future—we must respect their autonomy and empower their choices. If you identify as male and desire to support women beyond mere words, here are actionable steps, inspired by women, that can help advocate for their rights.
Educate Yourselves
The lack of understanding among men regarding the female reproductive system is both shocking and unacceptable.
Support Science
The lived experiences of women and established medical data do not depend on male validation. Learn the facts, share them, and make decisions based on evidence rather than personal feelings.
Speak Up
The silence of “good” men can be deadly. When women are not present, advocate for them. Engage with other men and boys, have conversations with legislators, and when women speak, listen attentively.
Address Racism
Recognize that marginalized women often bear the brunt of reproductive injustices.
Donate to Relevant Organizations
Use your financial advantages—on average, men earn thirty cents more per dollar—to support organizations that provide reproductive health care, contraception, and safe abortion access. Consider contributing to national groups like Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, NARAL, or smaller grassroots movements. Also, check out this post on home insemination kits for more insights.
Elect Women
Investigate the voting records of female candidates on reproductive rights, then support and vote for those who champion these causes. Empower women in office and then step back and allow them to lead.
Decenter Male Pleasure
There’s a suggestion based on the Greek play Lysistrata that women should go on a “sex strike.” This notion reduces women to mere tools for male gratification. Women should not have to use their bodies as bargaining chips for reproductive rights. Furthermore, the focus on male pleasure is misguided. Many ways exist for men to contribute to women’s pleasure that don’t revolve around ejaculation, the sole cause of pregnancy. Women deserve fulfilling experiences that prioritize their pleasure. Take time to improve your skills, guys—there is more to intimacy than ejaculation.
Decenter Maleness
Instead of merely offering women a seat at the table, be generous enough to step aside. Better yet, give a woman your place.
Look at the Bigger Picture
The growing wave of local anti-abortion laws is a direct assault on a woman’s constitutional right to safe abortions. Don’t just react; educate yourself on candidates’ voting records and make your voice heard in every election. Remember, abstaining from voting or opting for third-party candidates can have dire consequences.
Gentlemen, neutrality is not an option here. You are either actively opposing oppression or inadvertently siding with the oppressors. A woman’s right to choose is and always will be fundamentally hers.
In summary, men must step up to advocate for women’s rights, educate themselves, support women financially and politically, and listen to their experiences. Only by doing so can we hope to foster a society that respects and upholds the autonomy of all individuals.