LogFAQs > #906138705

Asherlee10 posted...

Dragonblade01 posted...

However, I think that we could set up a largely reasonable system where one's finances are not automatically beholden to the bodily autonomy of another.

How would this system work?

I couldn't tell you the exact specifics, but I can tell you how I imagine such a system might generally work.

First, it would be a system based on rescinding parental responsibility and privilege overall. Meaning that it wouldn't just be about child support, it would be about both legal obligation and legal agency regarding the child. Second, in line with the "opt out" phrase, it's something you have by default but then choose to give up.

Obviously, you would probably only ever to be able to create such a system for situations where a pregnancy has already begun. Even in the case of married couples, trying to establish some sort of contract regarding "parental intent" is just a little too difficult, since the whole idea behind this is to not force people into a specific outcome down the road. I firmly believe that nobody should ever be forced to have children.

So, since a pregnancy has already occurred, the question becomes, "How can we give men an option to extricate themselves from the parenthood that they don't want, while also not interfering with the mother's rights to her body as well respecting her own desire to become a parent?" One step, I imagine, would be periodical sessions in which ideally both parents (but especially the man) state whether they wish to retain parental authority over the soon-to-be child or not. The sessions need to start early and there need to be multiple ones (perhaps one per trimester or per month). The decision made during these sessions would need to be binding, and the decision cannot be changed between sessions. This last stipulation might help eliminate the concern over last minute "cold feet."

Another step would include developing the programs which exist (and possibly adding new ones) to help single mothers in cases where financial support from the biological father is no longer an option. Similarly, although it may not be popular, it may also be necessary to introduce a tax or fee of some kind which would be specifically aimed at helping to take care of the country's children. Again, it might not be popular, but I also don't think it unreasonable for a society to impose on its current members to help support the next generation of members.

Furthermore, the system would need to be setup so that not following the appropriate procedure leads to losing one's ability to rescind parental authority. This goes back to the idea of it being given by default, while the option to rescind is where explicit action is required. It also helps to remove some of the ambiguity regarding intent.

And, of course, any kind of agreeable system would not be created overnight, nor would it be created by one person.