MagiStream

My reasonings have always been much the same as others have posted. I'm really reassured seeing more people who are self aware enough to say "this world doesn't need more humans". That was always my first instinct and reasoning from a young age. I realize it's also a lot more than that, having dealt with an ectopic pregnancy a few years ago due to a shifted IUD. The absolute rage I went through at my body being host to a literal bomb reminded me that it's also just how vehemently I don't want anything to do with birth or raising a kid. Big picture, small picture. Both are a no.

I don't interact with family enough anymore for it to be a big social issue that I know others do deal with. I did have a really overbearing uncle, though, that gave the "you'd be a great mom" line once, but I was already in therapy at the time and calmly managed something in the vein of "that's not a reason" and "I get to decide that, and whether or not it's true is, again, not a reason". I also recognized that he, like many in my family, are the type who say what they want and ignore other peoples' responses. Things don't even go in one ear and out the other, but just, like, fly by the side of their head. They don't actually want to listen, so they don't actually care in a way that's healthy. And I don't put energy into those kinds of people anymore.

As for the "you could change your mind" line, pfft. I could also change my mind after having a kid, and then where would we be?

Wow, I completely forgot that I ever posted here! Happy to say that after, what, 11 years? Nothing has changed

While it's not something I'd be able to afford any time soon, not too long ago I found out that there's apparently a doctor not too horribly far from where I live who does the type of sterilization surgery I'm interested in, which is pretty dang nice since the last time I checked a childfree friendly doctor list, the only options for my state were two who did vasectomies, which uh, doesn't help me, and one who does implants, which I'm not interested in. So hurray for more options!

Yeah, you see, I think having a child is too much of a responsibility (I don't even own pets), not to say a long term commitment: while I can leave a job I don't like, or sell a house I'm not comfortable in... it's not like I can "disown" a child. And even if I could, I would feel terrible for abandoning them to such a volatile and chaotic world that doesn't have the best interests in them. So the best solution is... to just not have any at all in the first place.

Not to mention, I don't like kids in general: they're too noisy! Especially my neighbors, and with them + having to "babysit" all my smaller cousins in my younger years, I had enough children for the rest of my life

Aside from the fact that I'm aroace, I second the 'bad at responsibility' and 'generally not good with kids' bits.

i'm ace, and tbh i don't really like kids. i don't think i was raised in such a way to be able to properly show my theoretical children how to make it society- what with the fact i can barely understand it myself! i also wouldn't want to bring any more people into the world where there's still a lot of inequality and that i'd have to explain to them some people wouldn't like them on the sheer fact that they just don't. spare one child the sufferings of an entire generation i suppose.