Robin Maynard and Barbara Williams respond to Simon Usborne’s article about the growing number of young men choosing to have vasectomies for environmental reasons
The decision to have a vasectomy requires deep reflection, of course (‘More people is the last thing this planet needs’: the men getting vasectomies to save the world, 12 January). If the reasons for making that choice include concern about the impact of a growing population or the quality of life any child may face in the future, the individual’s right to have the surgery must be respected. It is a tragedy that we have allowed our environmental crisis to go so far, so quickly, that it should influence any person’s choice regarding parenthood, but it is the reality we must all now live with.
That our numbers have contributed to this crisis is beyond question, and it is regrettable that Simon Usborne’s otherwise excellent article rehearses outdated canards regarding “theories of overpopulation” that obscure the progressive, rights-based population argument embedded in principles of social and environmental justice. With positive solutions such as women’s empowerment, education and modern family planning at the heart of addressing population growth, this is a discussion that needs to be had more widely, rather than closed down.
Robin Maynard
Director, Population Matters
