Forced Sterialization

9/29/2014

I know you're thinking how does somebody go about forcing women to be sterilized?   Let's see: first they're women and second they're in prison and third they're in California.

Apparently 144 women in California states prisons were sterilized between 2005 and 2010—one third of them without lawful consent. Is or was that even legal?  Eventually the Governor decided that it wasn't legal and has banned forced sterilizations.  

The sterilizations were done to prevent further pregnancies on women who likely couldn't afford to take care of the ones they already had.  

If a woman has control over her body when it comes to terminating a pregnancy, then she should have the right to have as many children as she can afford to care for.  And no I don't think women should have scores of children while on welfare.  Unlike in the dark ages of the '60's, birth control is readily available and compared to the cost of raising a child, relatively inexpensive - in the big picture.

I will share a personal story about birth control.  It was 1974 and I was engaged to Jeff.  I went to the doctor for birth control pills, which he ultimately gave me - but not until he gave me a lecture about having sex while I was single.  When I think back on that, I remember leaving his office feeling judged and immoral.  I'm glad that things like this don't happen today - or should I say I hope things don't happen like that anymore..  

Just because we spay and neuter pets, doesn't mean we have the same right to do it to people.  Why not just sterilize the men?  

P