After four long years, a woman who never wanted to have a baby wins her battle to get sterilized.
Holly Brockwell, 30 years old, had her sterilization operation on May 15, signifying how she was able to fight through the judgment, criticism and rejection from the public, including the UK's National Health Service (NHS).
Holly's Struggles
Holly started to seek for sterilization services when she was 26 years old. At the time, doctors were quick to refuse her request, saying she was still young, and that she may want to consider waiting a little longer before finally deciding on whether to push through with the operation.
Holly recalls being harassed, judged, ignored and even demonized, but all of those did not get to her.
While she understands the concerns of many people, the public weighing in on her the freedom to do what she wants with her body, has become part of a national debate. For example, the problem Holly raised was about how far parents can partake in the decisions of their children regarding their bodies?
People even said that Holly will regret her decision one day when her biological clock finally settles. They also said how she would one day find a man, and then want to have babies.
Holly was called selfish, naive and was told that she has no reason for living. People also questioned how she can be ungrateful and deny her parents of future grandchildren.
The comments got nastier, with some even saying that she was broken and incapable of love, and how she wants sex without consequences.
She also was blamed for not respecting women who want to get pregnant, but can't and had to undergo complex medical procedures just to conceive.
Holly's Journey
Despite the negative comments, her family, especially her mom was very supportive.
Holly's mother did not want babies at first, but when she got married, she had two kids. After five years, her husband committed suicide, leaving her to solely raise their kids.
Her mom eventually got her tubes tied, but reversed the operation when she got married again, and had three more children. The marriage eventually failed, so Holly's mom was again left alone to raise all of them.
Even if her mother did not regret having kids, Holly knows that her mother had dreams and aspirations that she will not be able to fulfill now.
Looking Forward
In the past four years of Holly's journey, she realized that it really does not matter why she does not want children. Besides, no one ever questioned why a woman wants to be a mother. Being a mom for her is instinctive. Women just know if they want kids and in her case, she simply does not want them.
Holly also said that she will use this freedom to pursue her dreams, improve herself, use her energy on being a good partner and have enough money to feel secure.
She acknowledges that these are all achievable with kids, but, in all honestly, achieving them will be more difficult.
"It's been a long road and I would like to mark the occasion somehow.," Holly says.
In the end, she hopes that her journey has somehow changed attitudes toward women who have the same thinking as she is. For even if she had already obtained what she wants, the battle will never end unless there are still people who cannot accept that some women just don't want to become mothers.
