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Monday, January 05, 2009
Dear Editor,
Reference is made to a letter in your January 2 edition, "The answer lies in tubal ligation" where the writer proposed that the state should pay for tubal ligation for all (teenage) mothers.
I note with concern the continuing trend of placing the sole responsibility on females for contraceptive and reproductive measures. This trend is not only limited to discourse on the issues related to unwanted or abused children (as offered by the writer of said letter) but in the stark reality confronting many women who are left to raise children on their own while the fathers of these children continue to be fruitful and multiply with other women. Indeed, in the instant case of the girl who it is alleged abandoned her baby to attend Sting, public criticism and the legal repercussions seem to be levelled mainly against her. The father should be charged as well, and perhaps since we are getting the state involved, they should consider legislating a new offence dealing with abandoning the mother of one's child.
The fact is that the solution to the issue of unplanned parenthood cannot be dealt with in those drastic terms as proposed by the writer. It is one that has to be dealt with through education and empowerment of our young people. At this point, Jamaica is trapped in a cycle of children becoming parents who themselves did not receive proper parenting and guidance. This reality has far-reaching effects on other aspects of our society and contributes to social and civil decay, economic hardship, crime and violence, among other things.
Unplanned pregnancy is caused usually by two irresponsible people - a man and a woman. The responsibilty is therefore 50-50. In response therefore to the ludicrous suggestion of having the state pay for tubal ligation of women, I propose an equally ludicrous one which seems apposite in the circumstances: How about the government paying for the voluntary vasectomy of "males" who already have at least one child not being properly supported financially or emotionally, and these "males" could opt to have a vasovasostomy (vasectomy reversal) when they can afford and are ready to become real fathers?
Lisa Williams
Montego Bay
St James
Dear Editor,
Reference is made to a letter in your January 2 edition, "The answer lies in tubal ligation" where the writer proposed that the state should pay for tubal ligation for all (teenage) mothers.
I note with concern the continuing trend of placing the sole responsibility on females for contraceptive and reproductive measures. This trend is not only limited to discourse on the issues related to unwanted or abused children (as offered by the writer of said letter) but in the stark reality confronting many women who are left to raise children on their own while the fathers of these children continue to be fruitful and multiply with other women. Indeed, in the instant case of the girl who it is alleged abandoned her baby to attend Sting, public criticism and the legal repercussions seem to be levelled mainly against her. The father should be charged as well, and perhaps since we are getting the state involved, they should consider legislating a new offence dealing with abandoning the mother of one's child.
The fact is that the solution to the issue of unplanned parenthood cannot be dealt with in those drastic terms as proposed by the writer. It is one that has to be dealt with through education and empowerment of our young people. At this point, Jamaica is trapped in a cycle of children becoming parents who themselves did not receive proper parenting and guidance. This reality has far-reaching effects on other aspects of our society and contributes to social and civil decay, economic hardship, crime and violence, among other things.
Unplanned pregnancy is caused usually by two irresponsible people - a man and a woman. The responsibilty is therefore 50-50. In response therefore to the ludicrous suggestion of having the state pay for tubal ligation of women, I propose an equally ludicrous one which seems apposite in the circumstances: How about the government paying for the voluntary vasectomy of "males" who already have at least one child not being properly supported financially or emotionally, and these "males" could opt to have a vasovasostomy (vasectomy reversal) when they can afford and are ready to become real fathers?
Lisa Williams
Montego Bay
St James
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