To The Women Who Choose Not To Have Kids.

[Triana]

20. I heard that one too.

I was even told there was "something wrong with me" and that I needed a psychiatric exam if I didn't want to have kids.

I found a magazine article about how women who chose to be childless are NOT selfish. Quite the opposite. It explained the thoughtfulness and deep sense of responsibility that childless women employed when making their choice to be childless, as opposed to giving in to societal and religious pressure and having babies just because you're "supposed to". It pointed out how women who chose childlessness were oh-so-NOT "selfish" but rather thoughtful, responsible and intelligent.

I cut it out and sent it to my ob-gyn who had previously refused to sterilize me (I was in my late 20s, divorced, had been on the pill for over a decade - which is dangerous - and KNEW I never wanted kids). I wrote him a letter and sent it along with the cut-out article. The letter basically said: "See here. This article is about ME. I KNOW what I want and what I don't!"

His office called me the next week and offered to do the surgery. I have NEVER regretted the decision. Women KNOW what's right for themselves. They don't need society, the church, family or men telling them. They can decide for THEMSELVES.