Dylan Melton, 31, has spent nearly a year collaborating with other progressive activists in North Carolina, aiming to boost voter turnout for Democrats across the 2024 ballot.

Prior to his activism role, Melton served as a hospital chaplain in the Raleigh region.

“There was one situation that stands out to me,” Melton recounted. “I was with a patient who learned they needed to end their pregnancy.”

The doctor warned the patient that continuing the pregnancy posed a significant risk to their life, long before the infant could survive outside the womb.

“The challenges and complications faced by that patient and their loved ones when making that choice are something I can’t overlook. There’s no way I can agree that such decisions should be made by anyone who isn’t directly involved in that moment,” Melton stated.

Last November, Melton, who resides in Casar, North Carolina, about 60 miles northwest of Charlotte, transitioned from chaplaincy to work with Megaphone North Carolina, a progressive campaign focused on reaching new voters. Today, he engages with people through social media and at college campuses.

Many of the men he encounters are also engaging in discussions about abortion in this electoral cycle.

“For the first time in my experience, I’m seeing many young men on campuses discuss this as a matter of safety,” Melton noted. “While it might not physically impact me, it certainly affects every woman I know.”

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the topic of reproductive rights has become a significant driver for Democratic votes, particularly among outraged women and some estranged Republicans.

As the first presidential election following Roe approaches, the topic of abortion is gaining attention from men like never before, with Democrats particularly keen on appealing to these voters.

‘The decision is not ours, but the battle is’

A lot of these men are adamant that this is not solely a women’s issue.

“As fathers, sons, and brothers, these matters impact us in more ways than we tend to acknowledge,” said Nevon Watson, a father to a 16-year-old daughter and campaign manager for Empower 25, an initiative by the nonprofit Black Women for Wellness aiming to register 25,000 Black male voters by 2025.

According to David Cohen, a professor at the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, men today are concerned about abortion rights for a mix of reasons: some are personally involved in the pregnancy decisions, while others know someone affected or are motivated by a broader sense of human rights.

“Many people simply believe it’s a fundamental issue when the government restricts individuals’ control over their reproduction and bodies,” Cohen said.

Like the general electorate, while more men are openly supporting abortion rights than in previous years, a section still firmly opposes it. According to a Pew Research Center survey from May, 38% of men believe that abortion should be illegal in most or all instances, while 33% of women share this perspective.

Men such as Mark Lee Dickson and Jonathan Mitchell have gained notoriety among both abortion opponents and supporters for their efforts to impose restrictions nationwide. Dickson, a pastor in east Texas, and Mitchell, a conservative lawyer and former Solicitor General of Texas, led the “sanctuary cities for the unborn” movement, creating local laws to ban abortion at the city or county level.

Edwin Fortner, a 59-year-old small business owner from Burnsville, North Carolina, mentioned he will be voting Republican

In November, candidates who oppose abortion, like Fortner, are making their stance clear. “That represents my Christian values,” he stated.

The Shift After Roe

Jason Smolka, the national chair of Sigma Lambda Beta—a historically Latino fraternity active throughout the country—similarly lobbied on Capitol Hill last month for bills supporting abortion access. He emphasized the importance of fostering discussions on gender equality and reproductive health.

“What we’re noticing is that our male members are open to saying, ‘It’s not my choice; the decision is yours. It’s a personal matter, and I’m not here to direct you,'” Smolka explained. “While the choice isn’t ours, the struggle for rights is.”

This struggle has gained more urgency since the landmark Supreme Court decision from two years ago.

“I believe people are more vocal now than they were prior to Dobbs,” Cohen shared, referencing the case that revoked the federal right to abortion. “There are men who are now discussing abortion who weren’t before, but many individuals are engaging in this conversation.”

Currently, Vice President Kamala Harris is not just discussing abortion; she is actively campaigning on the subject. Her husband, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, has echoed her views and passionately supports abortion rights during the campaign.

The topic was also a focal point at the Democratic National Convention in August, where Harris was officially nominated as the party’s presidential candidate.

Amanda Zurawski, along with others, shared her personal experience at the convention, discussing her denied abortion for a fetus with severe complications which resulted in a medical emergency. Her husband Josh Zurawski proudly stood with her, emphasizing the importance of abortion access.

Representative Jimmy Gomez from California told YSL News that support for reproductive rights among men has been present for many years, but the reversal of Roe has prompted more men to vocalize their support.

“This issue affects many people, leading men to think, ‘If this is about protecting my spouse or daughter, I’m ready to stand up,'” said Gomez, who leads the Congressional Dads Caucus. “It is extremely personal.”

An Election with a Gender Gap

Democrats, including Harris, aim to leverage abortion rights to attract more men, especially in crucial swing states, this November. The party has seen success since the 2022 midterm elections, shortly after Roe was overturned, with candidates advocating for reproductive rights and constitutional amendments to protect abortion access.

Conversely, the GOP has struggled with its response, and few Republicans have faced more scrutiny than former President Donald Trump in his campaign for a second term. Trump has been inconsistent, mentioning that he would veto a national abortion ban after previously indicating support for a 15-week federal limit.

At the same time, Trump has been working to gain support from male voters, particularly those who are undecided and under 50, while Harris enjoys strong backing from female voters.

According to a recent YSL News/Suffolk University poll, women favored Harris 57% to 36%, while men had nearly the opposite preference, with 51% leaning towards Trump compared to 38%.

Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, have shifted their focus to issues other than abortion that are important to voters, such as the cost of living.

Another YSL News/Suffolk University poll conducted in July, prior to Harris announcing her candidacy, revealed that economic issues overshadowed abortion in importance, particularly among men.

Nine percent of surveyed voters indicated abortion was their top priority, while 35% highlighted inflation and economic concerns. Among men, only 4% said abortion was the most critical issue, compared to 41% who selected the economy.

Democrats are working to link these two issues to bolster their argument.

“I believe these issues are interconnected,” Gomez stated. “If a person cannot make decisions about their own body, being forced to complete a pregnancy when they might not be ready to care for that child can lead to greater hardship.”