Hi Alexainie, I agree with you that men and women should be equally responsible for reproductive choices.

It was my understanding that welfare is for women with children. I don’t think men qualify. I could be wrong, but that was my understanding…

Therefore, men would not be affected by a rule that says, if you get welfare payments you must also be given a birth control shot.

Also, I would not want any permanent restriction on a person’s reproductive rights. Once someone is off welfare and is supporting themselves again, they should be able to have a child. With women, this just means waiting a few months for the shot to wear off, whereas a vasectomy is, as far as I know, permanent.

Now, men are held responsible for their reproductive choices — they have to pay child support. If a man does not pay child support, he can be put in jail. But does this happen for the children who grow up with mothers on welfare? Do their fathers ever pay support for them?

So maybe this should be an addition to the rule. Women collecting welfare must be on birth control. And the fathers of their children must either pay minimal support or be tossed in jail.

The ultimate goal is for parents to take responsibility for their children.