A Montreal man is making waves for opening up about his decision to get a vasectomy at 27.
The law student said he wanted to show that contraception isn’t just the woman’s responsibility.
Olivier Charbonneau felt men weren’t saying enough about the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“At first, my surroundings were shocked about the decision,” he said. Charbonneau is three years shy of 30, but made a choice that most men would only begin to consider much later on in life.
“I had been thinking about it since I was 24,” said Charbonneau.
“We have to be 18 to drive, to drink, to take our own decision. You can have plastic surgery, so you can take major decision about yourself at 18 years old,” he added.
According to the 27-year-old, the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade was a major motivator to discuss his vasectomy which was done almost a year ago. An American woman’s constitutional right to have an abortion was taken away, and some feel birth control is next.
“I realized that not a lot of men reacted against the decision in the U.S., which is a major decision,” he said.
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Charbonneau said he wanted to show that women should not be the only ones bearing the burden of contraception and according to him, “the man has his part to do.”
Montreal urologist Dr. Ethan Grober said the vast majority of people getting vasectomies are over the age of 40 with complete families, but people in their 20s do come to his clinic several times per year.
“Our job is to counsel patients,” explained Dr. Grober. “We make sure they make an informed decision and understand what the consequences of that decision are and the alternatives to making that decision.”
Grober added 60 per cent of men who undergo vasectomy reversal surgery can get a woman pregnant within a year.
But for bioethicist Dr Kerry Bowman, he feels 27 is young to make a potentially permanent decision.
“You could ask a person to take a period of reflection,” said the University of Toronto bioethicist. “But if that’s his decision, I don’t see how we can stand in his way.”
Charbonneau’s procedure was covered by Medicare. He is single and does not have a family of his own. However, he’s unfazed.
“I can adopt if in the worst case scenario, I can’t procreate,” said Charbonneau. He adds, for now, he has no regrets.
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