A woman on TikTok went viral this week after alleging her gynecologist refused to consider her request for tubal ligation, a form of sterilization also known as “getting your tubes tied,” instead suggesting she consider getting an IUD.
TikToker Olivia (@lvdwns) posted her video on the topic two days ago, in which she reenacts an interaction she allegedly had with her gynecologist. The video currently has over 1.5 million views.
@lvdwns Got the death sentence today #childfree #gyno #birthcontrol #ewkidsaregross ♬ original sound – lvdwns
“Hi, Mrs. Gynecologist! My name is Olivia. I never want children. I’ve had this made up in my mind since I was old enough to think of the concept. Can I please have my tubes tied?” she starts in her video.
“No,” the gynecologist character responds. “It’s permanent.”
“Yeah, I know!” Olivia states. “That’s why I asked. I’d like that option.”
“Well, no. You might meet Mr. Right and change your mind,” the gynecologist character says.
“No. It’s not my plan. It’s not in my five year plan, it’s not in my ten year plan, my fifty year plan. I don’t want that,” the TikToker answers.
“Yeah, but you might change your mind, and it’s permanent, so here’s a brochure for an IUD,” the gynecologist character responds. Olivia then holds up a brochure for an IUD, allegedly given to her by her gynecologist.
In comments, users pointed out the hypocrisy of giving this advice for not wanting children, yet not offering the same advice to those who want kids.
“We don’t tell people who WANT kids that they’ll change their mind?? So why is it okay for them to tell us we’ll change our mind???” one user asked.
“Seriously. Like I don’t care if other people have kids I just don’t want one for myself,” Olivia responded. In other comments, she added, “If I change my mind I’ll adopt,” and “There are so many kids sitting in our shitty foster system waiting to be adopted.”
In follow-up videos, Olivia further elaborates on her position.
@lvdwns ♬ original sound – lvdwns
In this video, she says she is not considering an IUD or other forms of hormonal birth control. However, she says this is not relevant at this point in her life.
“I just kind of went in for a check up and asked because, like, you know, I just don’t want kids!” she says. “On a serious note, I guess we’ll just cross that bridge when we get there. Whatever boo I end up with, I guess he’ll just have to get a vasectomy. Apparently you can get one with the snap of a finger because they’re ‘reversible.’”
In another video, she also chastised the men commenting under her videos about her decision, arguing that they had no right to make value judgments about her personal decision.
@lvdwns Reply to @cameron_ehringer693 call me selfish but I’m not doing that to my body lol #womenshealth #reproductiverights #birthcontrol #tuballigation ♬ original sound – lvdwns
First, she reminds them that her not wanting kids will not result in the “extinction of the human race.” Then, she reminds them simply that their comments are unwarranted and inexperienced.
“I don’t go to the grocery store clerk to do my taxes — and I’m not going to ask a man what I should do with my fallopian tubes,” she concludes.
We’ve reached out to Olivia via TikTok comment and Instagram DM.
Source: https://www.dailydot.com/irl/gynecologist-sterilization-iud/