Shelby's Asymmetry Theory It seems that one of the most controversial opinions Tommie Shelby presents in his book Dark Ghettos is the idea that men should not be obligated to take care of their biological children, if they had explicitly expressed that they did not want children. I also believe that this is one of the most important arguments Shelby makes. According to Shelby, explicit expression of not wanting a child for men could include actively avoiding pregnancy by using contraception (Shelby, 153). One reason Shelby gives for his view is “even if the mother finds her parental role difficult to shoulder alone, this does not mean that the biological father is to blame for her burdens” (Shelby, 161). Furthermore, “[s]ome of these fathers,