When your family is complete

There are many debates around the use of birth control to prevent having children. Although, there are many types of birth control one largely debated issue is permanent sterilization and if it is right or wrong. Paul VI in the Humanae Vitae states in paragraph 10, “Equally to be condemned, as the magisterium of the Church has affirmed on many occasions, is direct sterilization, whether of the man or of the woman, whether permanent or temporary.” Here he is stating that all types of birth control or any “direct interruption of the generative process” is deemed wrong. That the idea of sterilization, ranging from birth control pills to vasectomy is considered wrong in the eyes of the pope. Many people don’t initially think of a vasectomy or hysterectomy as birth control, but the Pope Paul VI describes any type permanent or temporary as wrong. Couples have started thinking about surgeries to stop the chances of them having more children. That if a man or woman is sure they do not want more children, they are able to have surgery instead of using birth control.

My point of view on the use of birth control is that I feel people who use birth control are taking actions toward preventing bringing a child into the world without being prepared to raise them properly. I think that it is a good decision to have permanent sterilization once you know you are ready to stop having children, or never want children. Some people may view permanent sterilization are wrong not only because it stops God’s Plan, but because you are changing parts of the body. With the surgery you are actually removing or stopping functions of the body and removing something that isn’t supposed to be taken out. Some people may also feel that it can have social consequences, such as if you would divorce (which is also against what the pope says) that you will never be able to have kids again and that it could eventually hurt the new relationship that could have been created. Also some women come into the issues of identity once they have had a hysterectomy because they have lost a main body part that makes them different then the male gender. They are no longer able to bear children, which could possibly make them less confident in their own identity. All these different side effects could be considered consequences from using a type of permanent sterilization.

Also some people may feel that permanent sterilization can be viewed as a good thing. That people may feel that you have accomplished a perfect life. Depending on the reason you got the sterilization, your life could be in the perfect situation with a family and a significant other. When talking about the intelligible body and the useful body and with them having the same discourse, they often support each other. Susan Bordo quotes Foucault and says, “Of the cultural body, the register of the ‘useful body’ rather than the ‘intelligible body’.” That people are supposed to procreate but since these people have done that and are happy with their lives they have the option of being able to stop the option of bringing another child into the world. Also time has changed because many years ago people never had the option of permanent sterilization, they had to either use temporary types of birth control or take the risk of having another child. I do see why people are against the idea of permanent sterilization, and how Bordo brings up the idea of the useful body and how we were born to procreate. As a personal decision I feel that once you have brought children into the world you should have the decision whether or not if you want to welcome more into your family.