One of the most common myths we encounter when talking to people about the history of gender relations is the myth that fathers automatically had more parental rights than mothers or that fathers automatically got custody of the children when a couple broke up.
This is one of the most powerful myths in the feminist movement's arsenal. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services document entitled "The Rights of Unmarried Fathers" exposes this myth and unequivocally states:
"Historically, unmarried fathers have had fewer rights with regard to their children than either unwed mothers or married parents. Over the past several decades, unmarried fathers have challenged the termination of their parental rights under the Fourteenth Amendment"
And if people think this is just ancient history, think again. The following story from a father in Utah shows why we still need a men's rights movement today.