this post was submitted on 16 Dec 2024
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In over 30 years of practice, Dr. Errol Billinkoff rarely saw a man without kids come into his Winnipeg clinic to get a vasectomy. But since the pandemic began, he says it's become an almost daily occurrence.

And he's not alone.

"At first, I thought I was the only one who was noticing this," Billinkoff, who brought a no-scalpel vasectomy procedure to Winnipeg in the early 1990s, told CBC News in a November interview.

"But I am part of an international chat group where doctors who do vasectomies participate and the topic came up, and it's like everybody notices it."

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[–] Sunshine@lemmy.ca 96 points 1 week ago (8 children)

This is what happens when the conservatives threaten the right to an abortion. Drastic measures have to be taken.

No kid should be born unloved or a woman have her life threatened because too many ignorant folks think she is sinful for getting healthcare or evil for not raising more wage slaves for the bourgeoisie.

[–] Yawweee877h444@lemmy.world 29 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I disagree but unless we get actual data on why people are choosing not to have kids then we don't really know for sure.

I'd say the major reason is wealth inequality, cost of living, inflation, housing prices, etc. Everything's too expensive... everything. It's getting to the point that life isn't even worth living anymore, as its just a repetitive cycle to work and pay bills. I both can't afford to have a kid, nor would I want to bring one into this hellscape.

Again no way to know the real reasons unless we get the data.

[–] RangerJosie@lemmy.world 39 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

It's money first and foremost. People are struggling to survive by themselves. They can't afford kids. So conservatives get rid of abortion. They frame it as a religious issue, but it's only such for their ignorant followers. For those monied individuals at the top its purely about having an ever growing slave caste to exploit. Can't have infinitely growing profits without an infinitely growing base of suckers to sell shit to.

It's also about freedom. Self determination. And the general state of the world. Nothing of substance is being done about climate change. We're staring down the barrel of WWIII. Late Stage capitalism.

It's a confluence of factors that taken together paint a particularly bleak future.

[–] datavoid@lemmy.ml 12 points 1 week ago

Im planning on getting one soon, and it's definitely this for me.

Also I tend to believe climate scientists who say shit is going to get interesting within the next 20 years.. not really something I'd feel good about bringing a kid into.

[–] Brodysseus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 1 week ago

One data point and I'm American, but figured I'd give my two cents on why I did it.

In addition to all the reasons you listed I think that my own mental health is an obstacle, and also the increasingly limited access to women's healthcare.

Making the decision to not have kids was a complex issue for me as I imagine it is for others too. Tbh the political and economic climate was probably the final push I needed, but there's probably at least 10 reasons in total.

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[–] Agent641@lemmy.world 75 points 1 week ago

I've decided I don't want to have kids at all.

My wife is taking it better than my son and daughter are.

[–] Arkouda@lemmy.ca 71 points 1 week ago (2 children)

When animals are over stressed, unable to provide the basics of survival, and constantly dealing with external threats they tend to not have babies.

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[–] blindbunny@lemmy.ml 64 points 1 week ago (10 children)

Why would I force another human into this shitty existence?

Also condoms suck and raw dick is just better.

[–] 1985MustangCobra@lemmy.ca 11 points 1 week ago

yea same. condoms suck.

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[–] snekerpimp@lemmy.world 53 points 1 week ago (9 children)

I’m sorry, there is an international chat group where a bunch of doctors that perform vasectomies congregate and talk about vasectomies?

[–] Sunshine@lemmy.ca 39 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Gotta share the best practices, its like the postmarket os matrix chat where tech enthusiasts support each other improving builds ;)

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[–] dustyData@lemmy.world 24 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I mean, yeah, why not? There are international whatevers for almost anything, specially professional practices. It's less cumbersome and cheaper than relying on regulatory bodies to organize and run conventions or seminars. Most of these chats are informal and born from that kind of events as well.

Something I also learned from working with the health sector is that there are really very few 100% dedicated to their niche specialists in every area. Sure, there are many heart surgeons, but very few experts on ventricular septal defect surgery on children. And some of that stuff can be so complex as to be a sole area of dedicated study. It allows these kind of informal forums and encourages a strong mentor-apprentice dynamics. So it is not rare they hit the group chat every once in a while. I also learned there are over a dozen different ways to make a vasectomy procedure and some doctors know how to do a few but not all of them and there are reasons to prefer some over the others depending on the patient.

Welcome to the Internet - you're new here, I take it?

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[–] eugenevdebs@lemmy.dbzer0.com 41 points 1 week ago (18 children)
  • No right to abortion in the United States
  • Giving someone who didn't get asked or consent to being born, the forced existence of life.
  • A child for a parent is expensive, mentally draining, and you have to be a good parent
  • You also have to be the parent for a child with any special needs, from allergies to mental issues to being born without limbs
  • If the child is any form of "other" to society, they will be picked on, and then possible harmed by the rise of Neo-Fascism
  • Work or starve, work or be cold, work until you die. Another tax number, another corporate slave.

Being born is fine, once you're here you should try to live life to its fullest. But I don't want kids, I would be a horrid father.

[–] cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 week ago

Let's not forget about child care, cause you know, in this economy both parents typically need to work to keep their heads financially above water.

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[–] 1985MustangCobra@lemmy.ca 40 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This is what happens when you can't afford raising kids and also more and more people decide that they would rather just enjoy their life without the responsibility or or financial burden of raising kids. I don't know how i feel about this due to the our birth rate not doing so well, and instead of people having children, we have to import people into the country (which i have no problem with but that really isn't a solution).

[–] solsangraal@lemmy.zip 18 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (6 children)

that really isn't a solution

why not? are you afraid of johnny whitebread "real" ~~murican~~ canadian getting....replaced?

the fact that the 1% is shitting their pants over the declining birthrate makes me think it's fan fucking tastic. every industry's profit margin suffers from fewer babies. less money is spent on food, gas, clothes, giant SUVs, toys, medicine--literally everything you buy for yourself, you're also buying for your kids for 18 years. unless you don't have kids.

those poor, poor shareholders.

fuck them. low birthrate = GOOD.

also, please--who wants to have a kid just so they can explain to them why they're growing up in a toxic wasteland?

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 12 points 1 week ago (6 children)

why not? are you afraid of johnny whitebread "real" murican canadian getting....replaced?

It's not a solution because, with a few exceptions, standards of living (and therefore reasons to not immigrate) are rising in most of the world, so in a few decades there likely won't be enough migrants to go around.

those poor, poor shareholders.

If it looks like only shareholders are having problems because of low birthrates in Japan and South Korea, then you should learn more about those places.

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[–] atro_city@fedia.io 34 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Continue not taxing the rich and making conditions worse for the 99%. Let's see how it works out.

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[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 27 points 1 week ago (9 children)

I bet they don't get the same amount a shit a childless woman would going in to get her tubes tied.

[–] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 20 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

The female procedure is a lot more invasive than the male procedure. That's why I had mine done instead of my wife undergoing the surgery.

.

And, yes I do realize that's not the point you were trying to make. But it is a factor.

[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago

The factor is the self appointed managers of women's biology. They don't want them women to steal kids from some future man. This is the basic line fed a woman I knew who wanted to be sterilized since her family carried the genes for a deadly dehumanizing genetic disease and some shithead doctor told her she was selfish for not wanting her future man to have a choice about kids. She left the southern us and went up north to get he procedure done. When she returned she found a new doctor. This was over twenty years ago. Long before this latest batch of idiots.

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[–] DiabolicalBird@lemmy.ca 26 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I got one because the idea of having kids has always filled me with a keen sense of dread. Any time I hear that someone is expecting a child my first thought is "oh no I'm so sorry" before saying the expected congratulations.

Both my partner and I don't like or want kids, why risk accidents happening?

[–] stepan@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 week ago

More people seem to be choosing child free living because of the state of the world and economy rn. I don't blame them.

Get pets like me!

[–] asdfasdfasdf@lemmy.world 25 points 1 week ago (19 children)

Can anyone here who's gotten one comment on the vasectomy process? I've been pretty nervous seeing a lot of the comments about it. I don't even do well with a normal blood draw. I feel like I'd need general anesthesia for this.

[–] Olhonestjim@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I've never had kids. Got it done down in TX. Told the doc I've never wanted them and didn't want to pay for anymore abortions.

I did it fully conscious with local anesthesia because I had no one to pick me up and look after me if I took the knockout gas. There were a couple tiny pricks of pain next to the base of my penis, then numbness. An unpleasant tugging sensation in each testicle when he positioned my vas deferens to cut, cauterize, and clamp the ends. That was the worst part, but like I say, it didn't hurt. Aside from that, I nervously wisecracked with the nurses, who politely laughed and joked back. Then I put my pants back on, paid the bill (ouch!), drove myself home, and spent the weekend getting high and playing video games with frozen gel packs under my balls. All that felt like was the dull tenderness you get a little while after a blow to the junk. Totally manageable. I took some Advil or something.

Against advice, I returned to my strenuous job 3 or 4 days afterwards, and jerked off repeatedly much sooner than suggested. I've experienced zero complications, but ymmv. Taking my wisdom teeth out was much worse. Getting a tattoo is far more painful. It was a bit worse than getting my ears pierced, but healed faster.

8/10 Would totally repeat the experience just for the days off with zero responsibilities. My only regret is I didn't do it at 18.

[–] ochi_chernye@startrek.website 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Was really nbd. Gave me a local. Felt no pain at the time. Spent the next day in bed with ice on it. A little soreness, cleared up quickly. Way better than a kidneystone, fwiw.

[–] nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 week ago

Way better than a kidneystone, fwiw.

I would hope so considering many people, including women who have given birth, describe kidney stones as the worst pain they've ever felt lol.

[–] MoonMelon@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

There was an initial consultation, where the doctor told me that quite a few childless men want to get the procedure reversed later, but you should consider it "not reversible." Not a problem for me.

On the day I entered a very small room with a reclined chair. The lights were dimmed. The only pain was a brief "pinch" during anesthesia. This was "needleless" anesthesia with some kind of aerosol device, but a needle probably would have been about the same. Needles don't bother me, so I considered this a gimmick.

It was done a lot faster than I thought. I was chatting with the urologist the entire time. The stitches were in a different part of my scrotum than I imagined they would be (higher up). Initial recovery was fine, but a couple weeks later I did have some post-op pain that was pretty bad. NSAIDS, suprisingly, helped quite a bit. This recurred a few times a year for about five years and then never again. It was not an infection. From what I understand this is a rare side effect, but possible. For a lot of people it's totally painless, but that was my experience.

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[–] Zoomboingding@lemmy.world 24 points 1 week ago (8 children)

No kids, never wanted them, made sure I never have them. Happily married for 8 years, she never wants kids either.

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[–] JovialMicrobial@lemm.ee 22 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I think this is a great thing to see happening. Men are taking birth control into their own hands. Why take the risk of an unwanted pregnancy? Sometimes other methods fail.

The peace of mind must be amazing too

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[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 20 points 1 week ago

Here's the thing about abortion in Canada ...

  • the right to abortion is not codified in law: the SCoC struck down the laws against abortion in 1988 based on our 1982 Charter of Rights
  • abortion is technically legal under the federal Health Act
  • this is why the Cons have stated they don't want to challenge women's ability to have an abortion ... because if they did in court, and it went to SCoC, the court could (and likely would) force the Con gov't to enact actual legislation forever enshrining abortion rights in Canadian law
  • the Cons, just like the GOP down south, are hoping to have enough power at some time to force change here -- but the problem is our SCoC works differently than SCOTUS (ie: zero judges are elected in Canada, ever); SCoC rulings are not based on original intent (and our Charter is vastly newer than America's founding documents); etc.
[–] zero_spelled_with_an_ecks@programming.dev 19 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I'm doing my part.

But seriously, men should be more responsible when it comes to birth control and not leave it up to women, so I think this is a good thing.

[–] atro_city@fedia.io 8 points 1 week ago (8 children)

men should be more responsible when it comes to birth control and not leave it up to women

Men literally only have 2 options: condom or vasectomy. Condoms don't feel good for either side, which is why both try to avoid using them. Vasectomies can be reversible, but require surgery and thus are costly, which of course makes it impossible or at the very least much less attractive for a large portion of society.

Yes, men can buy underwear that heats up their balls to temperatures that kill sperm, but I'd like you to go around spreading the word of discomfort through sweaty balls and see how far you get.

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