When I got my vasectomy, my urologist didn’t ask me anything about my wife’s feelings on the subject. Because it’s my body. My urologist made sure I was informed on the risks, including that it may be irreversible, and the historical odds of being able to restore fertility.

I was young. Every time I came into contact with a nurse who found out I was getting a vasectomy, they started to ask me inappropriate questions. My urologist apparently knew to expect this, because he was always on top of them before they were even able to finish, telling them that it was “more common these days for young people to want to be sterilized,” and defending my autonomy without me even having to say a word. I felt very supported and I appreciated this a great deal. I would have appreciated even more if I had the same support from the nurses.

Incidentally, get a vasectomy. No, seriously, get one. If you don’t have vas deferens, encourage someone you know to get a vasectomy. It’s the best.