*giggling* I'm afraid you might have a little trouble actually finding a doctor to do the surgery if you were only born in 1976. Many doctors won't sterilise younger people because they think either (A) they will be sued if they young person changes their mind or (B) it is a bad idea to remove the reproductive potential of someone who isn't already in a stable relationship. A little patronising but there it is.
Also, that "well, you can always adopt" line we all hear everywhere is a big fat LIE. Actually, other countries have incredibly strict rules about who is allowed to adopt and most countries don't really want us to take away their children so the process is a bitch and getting through the whole thing for under 30,000 is considered cheap. In some parts of russia the adoptive parents are required to pay to legally prove that no one in russia wants the child they want. If, during their attempt to legally prove this, they find someone who wants the child, that's the end of the american couple's chances. As to american adoptions, 80 percent are now open adoptions (a large proportion of the others are adoptions out of the foster care system) and that number is climbing every year. That's not necessarily a problem (actually, many many people think it is an improvement) but people who are not familiar with adoption are often shocked to discover it has become so difficult to adopt a child in a closed situation.
Sorry to run on like this but I really wanted to share this whole adoption thing since it's not very well known how much the system has changed in the last years and I couldn't tell if you were all the way joking. Cass and I are queer and have fertility problems so we have looked into adoption issues pretty closely. If you were just joking around, or wish to adopt for ethical reasons, then feel free to ignore me completely and I am SO SORRY to have just poked my nose into your personal life in such an intrusive way.
Cass and I really enjoy reading your blog. Particularly seeing you with your precious nieces and nephews -- you seem fabulous with kids.
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Date: 2007-04-01 05:35 am (UTC)Also, that "well, you can always adopt" line we all hear everywhere is a big fat LIE. Actually, other countries have incredibly strict rules about who is allowed to adopt and most countries don't really want us to take away their children so the process is a bitch and getting through the whole thing for under 30,000 is considered cheap. In some parts of russia the adoptive parents are required to pay to legally prove that no one in russia wants the child they want. If, during their attempt to legally prove this, they find someone who wants the child, that's the end of the american couple's chances. As to american adoptions, 80 percent are now open adoptions (a large proportion of the others are adoptions out of the foster care system) and that number is climbing every year. That's not necessarily a problem (actually, many many people think it is an improvement) but people who are not familiar with adoption are often shocked to discover it has become so difficult to adopt a child in a closed situation.
Sorry to run on like this but I really wanted to share this whole adoption thing since it's not very well known how much the system has changed in the last years and I couldn't tell if you were all the way joking. Cass and I are queer and have fertility problems so we have looked into adoption issues pretty closely. If you were just joking around, or wish to adopt for ethical reasons, then feel free to ignore me completely and I am SO SORRY to have just poked my nose into your personal life in such an intrusive way.
Cass and I really enjoy reading your blog. Particularly seeing you with your precious nieces and nephews -- you seem fabulous with kids.
-Beth