20 of America's top political scientists gathered to discuss our democracy. They're scared.

[dixiegrrrrl]

22. Good on you for listening to your gut feelings

Has always worked for me.

Here is some perspective, btw....

I was 23, married, had 2 kids, did not want more, and wanted to get sterilized, to be in charge of my own birth control.
The "rule" then, made of course by white male doctors. was that your age x the number of kids you had, would be used to determine if you could stop breeding.
It was a crazy number, something like 100 was a passing score, and I only had 2 kids.
Talk about mandated pregnancy.
Even if you made the score, you had to get an ok from a psychiatrist, and 2 doctors, and of course your husband's written consent.
In 1970.
talk about a consciousness raising event.

My husband went and got a vasectomy. On his lunch hour. Without discussing it with me at all.
His rationale was "if you get sterilized, you might end up screwing around on me".
Welcome again to 1970.
( I divorced him, after I found out HE was not faithful)

1972...post divorce, I went on welfare with the kids, made plans to get an education and then work.
But divorced, on welfare was just the right combination, the state promptly gave me a free tubal ligation, cause they did not want any mothers on welfare to have more kids, which of course I knew.
No multiplication score, no psychiatrist, no multiple doc approval.

( I did get that education, ended up with a MSW degree).

so the ex ended up with no more kids, and the 2 boys we had, grew up to declare they were going to be childless, which of course means their father's name ends with them.

in the end...karma.