In his role as Second Gentleman of the United States, attorney Doug Emhoff has embraced abortion advocacy as one of his core agenda items.
On May 7, Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, convened a panel discussion in Atlanta that focused on the role men can play in championing for more access to abortion rights. The panel was co-hosted by Men4Choice.
According to reports, the event was timed to coincide with the five-year anniversary of the ratification of Georgia’s Fetal Heartbeat Law, which bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
In a recent NBC News article, Emhoff commented on the Georgia law and also noted recent legislation in Florida and Arizona.
“This is what’s happening all over the country,” he said. “We need to just basically put the brakes on what’s happening. The President and the entire administration are pushing to remediate this.”
Roland Warren, President and CEO of Care Net, said Mr. Emhoff appears to be contradicting the well-known pro-choice mantra of “no womb, no say” in calling on men to support abortion.
“History shows that when the pro-choice movement seeks male support for abortion, it often prescribes the specific viewpoints men are expected to express,” he said. “It’s the old saying, ‘If I want your opinion, I’ll give it to you.’ “
In an article he wrote for GQ, Emhoff chronicled his anger following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and his thoughts on men and abortion.
“It’s a topic men just don’t like to think about or talk about,” he said. “But even more importantly, many men don’t believe it’s an issue for men. They think it’s just a quote-unquote women’s issue. And I couldn’t disagree more. It’s one of the things I really try to get out there and advocate for.”
As a Pro-Abundant Life organization, Care Net seeks to equip men to step up in a radically different direction. Care Net sponsors and resources several initiatives for men, seeking to empower them to change our culture from one of death to one of life and flourishing.
“You can’t be serious about ending abortion unless you are serious about engaging men on the issue,” Roland Warren told the Daily Signal.
At Care Net’s 2022 Pro-Life Men’s Summit, Dr. Tony Evans, the senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship and one of the nation’s most respected evangelical leaders, exhorted attendees to be advocates of justice, to fight for the vulnerable, and “preserve life, from the womb to the tomb.”
“Today, we are in a cultural crisis. God has called every man to be a kingdom man… And God always starts with them… This is not because women are not critical or important. It’s because God always holds men responsible.”
The critical role of men in regards to unplanned pregnancies was underscored in Care Net’s 2022 Study of Men and Abortion. One of the survey’s key data points focused on the influence of men had when it came to their partners’ abortion decision; The study revealed that men (38%) were twice as influential as medical professional (18%) and the woman’s mom (14%), and even more influential than abortion providers, friends, and others.
Roland Warren, who served as president of the National Fatherhood Initiative before assuming the leadership of Care Net in 2012, says it is vital for men to support the Pro Abundant Life movement (based on John 10:10) and the critical work of pregnancy centers.
“We must preserve not only the sanctity of life, but the sanctity of marriage and family consistent with God’s design,” he said.
And God’s design for the family simply can’t happen without men.