Examining the Absence of a Gender Effect on Abortion Attitudes: Is There Really No Difference?

Abstract

Earlier research on attitudes toward abortion has found little or no difference between men and women. To the limited extent that there is any gender effect, men are slightly more inclined than women to be prochoice (e.g., Cook, Jelen, and Wilcox 1992). Women, however, have been found to regard the issue as more important (Scott and Schuman 1988). The present study uses Geneml Social Survey data from 1972 through 1994 to further explore gender and attitudes toward abortion. We find that within three marital statuses-single, married, widowed-men are somewhat more supportive of abortion rights but that women consider the issue to be more important and have clearer but not necessarily stronger attitudes than men. When differences in workforce participation are controlled, the sex effect is reversed, with women being more prochoice than men. Although significantly related to abortion attitudes, race, marital status, and religious identity are not relevant to this reversal in the sex effect. ProblemThe issue of abortion rights has been central to the women's movement of recent decades as well as a major concern of conservative Christians. On the face of it, the questions surrounding abortion rights are inherently more relevant to women than to men. It is, after all, an issue of the right of women to control their bodies. The question of whether abortion should be allowed in the event of endangered health of the mother pertains to a threat to women. The question of whether abortion should be allowed in the event of rape concerns women as victims and men as victimizers. On the premise that abortion rights are an aspect of women's rights (Figueira-McDonough 1989, pp. 540-41), we would expect to find that women support abortion rights more than men do. Conversely, "according to simple self-interest logic, men would be expected to oppose abortion by women's choice since this implies a loss of their control over women's sexuality and their generativity" (Figueira-McDonough 1989, pp. 541-42). This is not to say that we would expect to find dramatic gender differences in attitudes toward abortion. Instead, our starting point and source of the puzzlement that led us to undertake this study was our expectation that women would be at least somewhat more supportive of abortion rights, particularly when the pregnancy results from rape or the mother's life is endangered. It is noteworthy, however,

Trends in Abortion Attitudes by Race and Gender: A Reassessment Over a Four Decade Period

“…However, female college students appear more likely than males to support abortions after the first trimester (Carlton, Nelson, & Coleman, 2000). In addition, Hertel and Russell (1999) found women to be more pro-choice than men after workforce participation was controlled.…”

“…Where gender difference is found, men tend to report slightly more support for abortion than women (Craig & O'Brien, 1993), particularly among samples who are single (Hertel & Russell, 1999), young adults (Misra & Hohman, 2000) and college students (Carlton, Nelson & Coleman, 2000). However, female college students appear more likely than males to support abortions after the first trimester (Carlton, Nelson, & Coleman, 2000).…”

“…Previous research suggests age (Lynxwiler & Gay, 1994;Sullins, 1999), education (Kaplan et al, 2001;Wang, 2004), income, marital status (Hertel & Russell, 1999) and region of residency (Gay & Lynxwiler, 1999;Secret, 1987;Wilcox, 1992) may impact abortion attitudes. We treated the age and education variables as continuous variables.…”

“…We also include other variables that have been particularly prominent in past research as having a significant impact on abortion attitudes, including attitudes about premarital sex (Marsiglio & Shehan, 1993), the presence or absence of children in the home (Ellison et al, 2005), and work status (Hertel & Russell, 1999;Jelen, Damore, & Lamatsch, 2002). This analysis includes one variable to assess attitudes toward premarital sex.…”

Actitud hacia al aborto en estudiantes universitarios

“…No obstante, en algunos países la admisión del aborto es más generalizada, como lo es en el caso de Dinamarca (Norup, 1997) y Suecia (Holmberg & Wahlberg, 2000). Por otra parte, son los católicos y personas pertenecientes a otras religiones quienes aprueban en menor medida el aborto (Petracci, 2007;Presvelou, Brutus-García y Canivet-Gilson, 1972;Scott, 1989;De Boer, 1978;Adebayo, 1990;Marsiglio & Shenan, 1993;Stone & Waszak, 1992;Welzer, 1994;Hertel & Russell, 1999). Sin embargo, no se encuentra relación entre religiosidad y actitudes hacia el aborto en los hombres del sur de Brasil (Fachel Leal, 1998).…”