Why are women EXPECTED to be mothers...

Question

and men aren't EXPECTED to be fathers? Men can live a fulfilled life without having children yet there seems to be so much pressure for women to have children. And also another thing is, in Australia, cause that's where I live, there is only one tiny little place in NSW that gives abortions without you needing to be crazy or having health problems but not only that, the process for getting tubal ligation.... Holy bajeebus!!! That seems ridiculously unfair. Sure I can spend a lot of my money on birth control such as the pill. OR a cheaper method would be condoms but.. condoms are uncomfortable and dry me out -- well you get the point. Oh I'm ranting but I just don't get it! Society has more control over a woman's body then a woman does. But why? And how can I convince a doctor to do tubal ligation?(I mean I'd wait till I'm older of course) I know I'm 17 but I don't want to wait till I'm 40! "Because of the permanent nature of the operation, women under 40 without children are often denied access to tubal ligation, even if they express a determined desire not to have children" ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tubal_ligation#Access

Answer 1

i know what you mean.

i love kids but i dont think i want any of my own if i do have kids i want to adopt. people think that I'm crazy for this but i just tell them i dont care what you think its my life i will choose to live it the way i want to live it.

but i am against abortion in less their crazy or something like that

Answer 2

my computer is being stupid so i can't click on tubal ligatation because i honsetly don't know what that is

but i know what you mean

i tell people (im a women by the way) i don't want children and people look at me if I'm crazy then they studder and say something like...well you'll change your mind

your denying your husband children!

who will take care of you when you're older (what a selfish reason to have children)

and someone even told me my life is useless and I'll have nothing to live for if i don't have children

i dont understand it either

edit: some pointless links i found interesting about childless couples

http://www.13wham.com/content/news/polit...

http://ask.metafilter.com/80326/Older-Ma...

and heres another qusetion" are people who choose not to have children looked down on"

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

and i finally looked up the tubal- thing

meaning tubes tied?? sorry never heard of it being called tubal ligation =(

where I live you have to be 25 or have THREE children

Answer 3

I am not in Australia, but in USA, and i know a few women who decided not to have kids for various reasons. And they still do manage to live fulfilling lives! In fact very fulfilling.

Yet, sometimes they are asked what was the reason they didnt have kids, but usually it doesnt take them more then a few sentences to explain, if they feel like. Usually noone asks them more than once.

Because having kids is a common practice, sometimes people just assume soemone has kids, and start asking about it...

I think a good way to answer would be to say something mean, then you shouldnt get this question again.

They do face a sort of a problem socializing with women who have kids, because of the lifestyle change in the woman with kids, but one cannot do much about this...

But i think one has to be cool about it. I dont like when people start saying "i hate kids"- thats pretty dumb. Kids really dont deserve such comments.

But definetly having kids should not be required or expected, it should be a personal choice for a woman!!!

About the medical procedures- i really dont know what the reasonong is behind the rules they set.

Usually the only people who'd try to convince me to have kids are the people i wouldn't normally listen to anyways- some  religious fanatics, etc. It is their belief, and trying to convince you because they could be jelous that you have a choice and they REALLY don't.

Answer 4

I don't know. Society is mean like that... :(