LogFAQs > #906139692

Asherlee10 posted...

Some of this is hard to understand, particularly the first 4 paragraphs. In the 5th paragraph you mention government programs funded by taxes. In essence, this is still child support. It seems like it points to the same system of child support we already have, but with extra steps.

I'm not trying to be obtuse, but I'm having trouble following a lot of what's written above.

Child support, I assume, something you would consider necessary. After all, should a father relinquish parental authority, there's a chance there's still a kid and a mother trying to support them. Essentially, the idea that helping to provide for the child would extend to the community as a whole rather than to the individual father who wishes to relinquish his parental rights. Of course, said would still be paying taxes and therefore still contribute to supporting the child, but he would be doing so simply as another member of society and not through his position as the biological father.

As for the rest, the idea behind the system is to establish intent, and provide some limited opportunity for it to change. It needs to be limited so that clear decisions can be established and acted upon. But there still need to be some opportunities so that we can respect (to at least some degree) individuals' ability to choose when they want to become parents. Essentially, it's a compromise given to two individuals who may have a child together, yet have unfortunately different desires regarding parenthood.

Asherlee10 posted...

Dragonblade01 posted...

Asherlee10 posted...

keep in mind that bodily autonomy takes precedence.

In all honesty, you can simply make it a question of parental authority. Bodily autonomy doesn't really enter the picture so long as the woman is still allowed to choose whether or not to get an abortion.

I think the parental responsibilities are dependent on whether the woman keeps the baby or not, though.

Again, the best case scenario would be for both parties to make a decision together to abort or keep, but both need to live with the decision.

It's only relevant to the extent that, if the mother chooses to abort, then there's no parental responsibility to be concerned about. But you can still create a system revolving around parental responsibility while not interfering with the issue of abortion via bodily autonomy.

Of course the ideal is that the two make a decision together on their own terms. But the purpose of the system would always be for cases where that's not possible, cases where the two have insurmountably different desires. For example, in the system I imagine, you can choose not engage the system and it won't apply. You will keep parental authority, and all obligations and agency that go with it. If two people decide that they don't need it, then they simply stop participating.